


Life After the Cave

by Dragonlov4ever



Series: Life [1]
Category: Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-16 14:12:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 25,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3491333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonlov4ever/pseuds/Dragonlov4ever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I got inspired by the Mystery Skulls Animated Ghost video, if you haven't seen it yet then do yourself a favor. It would be timed right after the flash back in the video (Again watch the video to find out.) and its just my brain thinking about what would have happened afterwards. I do not own the main characters, they belong to MysteryBen27.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Arthur cried out from the pain, at first it wasn’t even due to his arm being torn off. He couldn’t believe what had just happened, what happened to him. Lewis, his friend. His dear friend was murdered by him and he wasn’t even in control. Arthur gripped the bloody stump that he now had, gasping at both the pain and at the among of blood that seemed to sip out. He turned to Mystery, who still had Arthur’s arm in his mouth. At least it looked like him, the same colouring and markings were there, but he no longer looked like the cute small dog that they had all came to love. This was a fox with six tails no less and he was big, so big that Arthur was terrified and he tried to crawl away from him. In his mind Arthur still thought that his left arm was still there and tried to use it to move himself along. He fell on the stump and he cried out, his vison started to blur and he suddenly had no energy. The last thing he could remember was the voice of someone he knew screaming bloody murder and the throbbing in his shoulder.

The next Arthur awoke was in hospital, he couldn’t help but to look around. The room was dark so he guessed that it was the middle of the night, he soon found the clock on the wall that told him what he already knew. Right next to him in an uncomfortable chair slept Vivi, but she looked as peaceful as she could. There was some movement next to her and Arthur couldn’t help, but to tense up. Mystery jumped up at the end of the bed and laid down, his ears where down and he whined quietly. After a while he crawled forward bit by bit to the left side, always checking to see if Arthur was still alright with him coming closer. Once he was in the space that would have been where Arthur’s arm would have rested, he laid there quietly. Arthur realised then that he had tensed up as Mystery came closer, they sat in silence as he body slowly relaxed. Mystery slowly sat up and looked him straight into his eyes. After a while he slowly laid back down, resting his head on Arthur’s stomach. Mystery whined, Arthur came to the conclusion that he was apologising. Arthur remembered that he no longer had a left arm to put around the dog to give him a hug, so he used his right hand to pat the top of his head. Mystery realised the awkward position that Arthur was in, he stood up and laid on his stomach instead.

‘You don’t need to apologise, I should be.’ Arthur said quietly, but it shook at the end. Tears where flowing freely down his face and Mystery sat up in panic. He whined again and stuck his head into Arthur’s chest, the dog didn’t stop in till Arthur wrapped his one only arm around the dog and pulled him forward so that Mystery was laying on his chest. The dog was shaking, but he wasn’t cold.

‘Are you crying?’ Arthur asked looking down on the beast that had bitten off his arm, even in the poor lighting he could see the tears in Mystery’s eyes. The dog quickly wiped his eyes on Arthur’s shirt and turned away. If Arthur wasn’t in tears himself, he would had laughed and made fun of the dog. He just slowly rubbed the dog’s neck and slowly fall right back to sleep.

‘You know he deserves whatever he gets right, what have you ever done wrong?’ A voice filled Arthur’s head. Arthur nervously looked around as he tried to find the source of the voice. He was in the cave, right behind Lewis as they walked up the path.

‘You where her friend first right? So that means he shouldn’t be taking her from you.’ Arthur couldn’t help but to glance to his friend, Lewis, who was looking over the edge of the overhang.

‘He is no friend of yours, Vivi is your only friend. But then again…’ The voice trailed off, as if it were thinking. ‘It would only take one little push to make her only yours.’ Arthur’s arm was raised, ready to do the deed.

‘No.’ Arthur thought.  
His arms pushed forward with such a force that Arthur knew it couldn’t have been from him, but then he looked at his arm and he knew it for certain that it couldn’t possibly be his.

‘No! Please.’ He could only mentally plead out.  
His arm was a rotten green and it felt wrong, very wrong, then he realised that that same wrong was felt all over his left side and he somehow knew that that same thing was in his mind. Then it was all gone as he was suddenly tugged upward by his left arm and with a crunch he fell back down onto his knees. That is when he started to cry out, not for the loss of limb, but for the loss of a friend.

Arthur jolted awake, with his mouth and throat dry. He sat up and looked around the room to make sure he really wasn’t back in that cursed cave. Mystery was to the left of Arthur and he only sat there, looking at him. Arthur tried to return the moister to his mouth by licking his lips, but there was nothing there. He looked over to a bedside table that had a jug and a cup, he picked up the cup and placed on the bed in front of him. Then he grabbed the jug with one hand barely managing to lift. Mystery watched this entire event unfold then he turned towards the entrance to the room, just before Vivi entered the room.

‘Arthur.’ She exclaimed happily, then she realised what he was trying to do. She grabbed both the jug and the cup from him, and poured him a drink.

‘You know that I am supposed to take care of you, which means that I am going to be doing things for you.’ Vivi said in a huff.

‘You don’t need to, I will be fine.’ Arthur managed to say.

‘No you won’t, you have been out for a few days now and did you really think that your life will go back to normal with only one arm.’ She sat down on her chair and gripped the jug in till her knuckles turned white. ‘I don’t understand why you had to lose your arm, you must have been so scared losing it on your own.’ Arthur sat there in shock as his mind raced.

‘What do you mean, what happened to me?’ Arthur said, trying to find out what she thought happened. Vivi looked at him in pity.

‘The doctor said that you may not remember.’ She sighed to herself. She put the jug back on the table and moved to sit on the edge of his bed.

‘Well how do I explain this?’ Vivi said thinking. ‘All I know is that the path I took ended with nothing but stalagmite, and I heard you cry out in pain above me. When I ran back up the path I saw Mystery had managed to pull you along the ground to where the path had split, you were already out cold, but what really got me was the blood that didn’t seem to stop flowing.’ Vivi looked his stump. ‘I hope you don’t mind, but I used your shirt to make it into a make shift bandage.’ Arthur suddenly became sub-conscious of his missing arm and placed his hand on it. Vivi noticed this and quickly looked at the ground, embarrassed that she had been staring.

‘Any way.’ She said. ‘From there I had managed to carry you to the van and had to put in the back, I wasn’t strong enough to lift you into the passenger seat.’ Vivi stood up and walked to the door, she turned around. ‘I am going to inform the doctor that you are up.’ She said before leaving. Arthur looked over at Mystery, who had curled up on Arthur’s left and was looking up at him.

‘She doesn’t know about Lewis, does she?’ Arthur asked him. Mystery shook his head and whined, he got up and jumped of the bed. He walked to a door that sat to the side of the room and looked back at Arthur. Arthur then realised that Mystery was leading him to that door, then he figured what it was. It was a bathroom and he also realised that he really need to use it. He sat up slowly at first expecting that it would hurt, but there wasn’t any pain so he stood up without any problems. He realised then that he was not wearing his clothes, he knew that his shirt had been torn, but he expected to still have his pants. Instead he wore a hospital gown that was too short for his liking, at least he could feel some underwear on. He looked over at the dog and he noticed that he was staring at his knees as if it where the first time he had seen them. Arthur couldn’t help but try to pull the gown lower down his legs and shuffle to the bathroom. Once he got to the door he realised the first issue with having only on hand, he couldn’t multitask. With the dog still staring he quickly opened the door and jumped in, closing the door right behind. Arthur quickly finished what he need in the room and then he looked himself over in the mirror provided. He found that he was in need of a long shower, his hair was greasy, he just looked tired and he smelt. Arthur also took this time to pull up his left sleeve to look at what he had left, he hesitated for only a second before lifting. It was fully wrapped up, he expected that much, but it still came still came to a shock. He sat down on the toilet seat and didn’t move much, before he knew it tears when falling onto his lap. He let them, it seemed appropriate for his current situation. Then came the soft knock from the door.

‘Arthur, are you alright? You have been in there for a while.’ Vivi’s voice said with concern. Arthur looked at the door, considered if he could just stay where he was.

‘Arthur?’ Vivi said with more panic. Arthur wiped his eyes and stood up.

‘I am ok.’ He lied, walking to the door and opened it to Vivi leaning on it with her ear against it. She managed to regain her balance, by grabbing the door frame. Vivi stood up right and blushed, stepping away and then looking at the ground.

‘Sorry. I was just checking.’ She said before walking to the bed and picking up a tray with some food on it. ‘They wouldn’t allow you any more then what’s on here.’ Arthur looked at what little was on the tray, a plate of pasta, a bread roll and a small jelly cup. Arthur stared at it hoping that more would just appear.

‘Don’t worry we will get proper food the day you are realised, which should be tomorrow if everything goes smoothly.’ Vivi said happily, patting the bed before sitting down. Arthur walked to the other side of the bed before falling face first on it, he turned his head to look at Mystery licking his fingers. Vivi turned around and smiled, she noticed that Arthur was slowly falling back to sleep.

‘Don’t you want to eat first?’ She asked. Arthur just shook his head and let himself drift off, before fully going he felt the blanket being placed over him.

He was given the same dream as before, but he didn’t even make half way through before waking up. It was night time that much he knew and he rolled over onto his back to allow himself to breath properly. He was in a cold sweat and his heart was threatening to leap out of his chest. He heard a whine and Mystery was right next to him, checking on him. Arthur scratched the dog behind his ear and waited for his heart beat to slow down enough for him to sit up and look for the food. He found it easily at the table that was at the bottom of his bed, he nudged forward and in the dark could see a fork. He started to eat as Vivi steered in her chair, she awoke and looked confused for a second before focusing on Arthur, who was frozen half way chewing a mouthful of the pasta and trying to put more in. She couldn’t help but smile, Arthur unfroze and continued to chew.

‘You looked like a kid caught eating in the middle of the night.’ She said and giggled. He swallowed what he had and decided to pick up the bread roll. In his mind he was going to pick pieces off of it and eat it that way, he frowned when he remembered that there was no way for that to happen with only one hand. He bit into it and chewed.

‘Is it any good?’ Vivi asked moving from the chair to the bed. Arthur had to finish the bit before answered.

‘It’s the worst food I have ever had, but I would die if I didn’t eat.’ Vivi smiled sadly before speaking.

‘Does it still hurt?’ She asked pointing to his left. Arthur considered it.

‘It didn’t at first, but now I can fell dull thuds.’ He answered truthfully.

‘You don’t need to answer this, but do you still think it’s there?’ She asked. Arthur didn’t say anything for a long time as he just stared at the bread roll in his hand and Vivi thought that he wasn’t going to answer, but eventually he looked at her.

‘While I was in the bathroom it hit me, but in my mind I can feel it move. I felt like a piece of me is gone and for once in my life I don’t know that to do.’ He said quietly. Vivi nodded slowly and for once in her life wasn’t able to give him any advice. When he finished he just shuffled back along the bed and laid down, chewing on the bread before falling asleep. Vivi ate what ever was left over on the tray and once that was done she shooed Mystery off the bed to tuck Arthur in. She stood there smiling at Arthur as he slept, then she just sat down in her chair and allowed herself to sleep as well.

‘Arthur.’ Vivi’s voice sung to wake him. Arthur moaned and tried to roll over to his left away from where Vivi’s voice came from, except the sudden pain in his stump made him shoot up straight. Vivi panicked and stepped back.

‘Sorry Arthur, are you alright?’ Vivi said putting a hand onto his right shoulder, Arthur was bent forward and his hand went to his shoulder. Mystery barked from Vivi’s feet and Vivi turned around glaring at him.

‘I didn’t think he would roll over.’ She blurted out to the dog.

‘No I am fine. It came to more of a shock, I thought I still had it. That’s all.’ Arthur said eventually looking at her. Vivi picked up a bag from her feet and put it in front of him.

‘You have been cleared to leave, so you need to go take off that gown and put some pants on. When you get out there will be a nurse to change the bandaging.’ Vivi said looking away. Arthur stood up and pulled out some clothes from it, he left the shirt and with some pants he turned around to open the door. Luckily the door handle was one that had to be pushed down to open, Vivi had chosen some easy track pants that had an elastic wrest. Arthur managed to pull off the gown that he had on and stepped into the pants easily. Without anything on his upper half he suddenly felt the cold air around him, with the gown in hand he exited the bathroom. Waiting for him was Vivi with a rather attractive young woman in a white coat, she turned around and smiled at him.

‘You must be Arthur.’ she said. The doctor had black hair that was up in a bun.

‘Arthur, this is Dr. Chip.’ Vivi said. Arthur nodded in acknowledgment, he couldn’t look at the doctor directly as he feared that he would start to blush.

‘Well then come on sit down, we really should have changed those bandages yesterday but you are such a heavy sleeper.’ Dr Chip said with a laugh. Arthur did as he was told and sat on the bed, look down at the ground. The doctor had a box fill with what she needed in her lap as she sat down, Vivi stood nearby. The doctor started to unwrap the bandages away and dropped them to the floor.

‘Sorry Vivi we were having a conversation, weren’t we?’ the doctor asked Vivi.

‘Its fine if you are busy.’

‘Not at all, in fact I don’t think I should be unwrapping them so fast.’ The doctor said and looked at Arthur, who had tensed up.

‘N-no I am a-alright.’ Arthur shuddered out. The doctor stopped for a while looked him over and then continued on.

‘You were telling me about what your real job was.’ Vivi said bringing the doctors attention onto herself.

‘Ah, that’s right.’ The doctor said thinking. ‘I am a Orthotist or what is better known, a prosthetst. That’s why I was given you friend to care for, but to be honest. I think the hospital is really cheap making me work as a normal doctor.’ She said with a hint on annoyance, when Vivi looked confused she smiled. ‘Sorry, I wouldn’t mind to be helping if they didn’t insists that I try to sell my work out to my patents. They make me care for those that loss there limbs, so that I can sit here and be like; hi I know you just went through I life changing experience, but let me just try to insist that you need to get a prosthesis as soon a possible.’ The woman was obviously mad as she wiped away a piece of cloth and gripped it in her hand. Arthur had started to lean away from her and looked rather worried that he was doing to be hurt by her. The women started to shake.

‘And I can’t even do what I have always really wanted to do.’ She stood up and blurted out, giving no other explanation to what she said. She then blushed realising what she just did and quickly sat back down. She looked rather embarrassed and had turned red.

‘Sorry again, people can become very frustrated when they can’t do what they want to. I can especially. ’ She said and Arthur let himself calm down, and Dr Chip got back to work. She was nearing the end of the wrapping and Arthur became anxious, she looked at him and slowed the process. The last of it fell off and Arthur looked down, not wanting to have to see it. From where Arthur was looking downward she saw Vivi’s feet stiffen and a quick gasp came out of her. Dr Chip had some sort of cream that she started to lightly spread.

‘If you are going to be caring for him, I think you better get used to it.’ Dr Chip’s voice came out sad, it was meant to Vivi as she started to cry. Arthur looked at Vivi and  
he regrated it instantly, there was a water fall coming out of her with no end in sight. Doctor Chip got up quickly and gave her a hug. Arthur had to look away from her, but he made his next mistake of looking away to his left. He saw the painfully red end of the stump and he couldn’t look away, it looked more painful than it really was.

‘Why did it have to be Arthur?’ Vivi was sobbing into Dr Chip’s shoulder, ‘He never did anything wrong.’ She continued on to say. Arthur thought otherwise and he knew he deserved it, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. ‘He needs that arm. He needs it.’ She wailed on. The doctor not able to say anything that would help, turned her head to Arthur. He had his gaze straight at the floor in between his feet. The doctor led Vivi to the right of Arthur, Vivi grabbed is arm and put her forehead onto his shoulder. She left it there as her tears freely flowed down his arm, Mystery had jumped onto the bed and laid into Vivi’s lap with his head resting on Arthur’s leg. The only response that Arthur gave to all this was the constant dripping of tears onto the floor.

‘I will be in the hallway if you need me.’ Dr Chip said and left the room. The three of them didn’t move for the longest time, but eventually the stream stopped from Vivi and she slowly looked at Arthur’s face.

‘I… I am s-so glad that you are alive.’ She crooked out, the tears threatening to flow again. Arthur’s on the other hand flowed on.

‘I don’t think you know how worried I was for you.’ She looked down at the dog when he whined. ‘No, how worried the both of us were.’ She gripped onto his arm tighter. ‘I don’t know what I would have done if you had died at any point. I don’t bring you along to any of the ghost hunts thinking that you would get injured, I didn’t ever think that you would.’ The tears spilt over. ‘I have always known that you would be there for me, but I have been stupid in thinking that. You were hurt because of me, I…’

‘Don’t say that!’ Arthur yelled out, scaring both Vivi and Mystery. ‘Don’t you dare call yourself stupid for doing what you love. Don’t you ever say that it was your fault for what happened to me.’ He said with anger present, but he looked at her and didn’t look angry in any way. He just looked sad.

‘Oh Arthur.’ Vivi said sadly. Arthur shook his head rapidly and he stopped crying for the moment.

‘I don’t want your pity, I want to have as normal of a life that I can have with my only other friend.’

‘But, how will you built anything?’ She asked.

‘I will find a way.’ Arthur said looking at the ground.

‘But wha...’

‘I said, I will find a way.’ He said it in a tone that made it clear to Vivi that he no longer wanted to speak about it. So she lifted Mystery off her lap and onto Arthur’s, he held onto the little dog as Vivi stood up and sat on the other side of Arthur. She picked up the bandages and started to wrap up his shoulder, she learnt to do basic aid from the many books that she read and put it to good use. When she was finished she packed away all of the left overs and put Mystery on the ground. She then plopped his shirt over his head, he slipped his arm through and allowed her to hold onto Arthur’s hand and pulled him up. Vivi opened the door and found Dr Chip leaning against the wall next to the door.

‘I am sorry, but I wrapped up his shoulder instead of you.’ Vivi said and bowed a little. The doctor smiled.

‘Not at all, I think it would have been better if you did it anyway. Come I will give you everything that you need for him.’ Dr Chip said and led them to the front desk of the hospital, she walked behind it and picked up a brown paper bag. She looked inside it before handing it to Vivi, then she sunk her hand into her lab pocket and pulled out a card.

‘If you need more or just want to chat, just call me.’ She said and then winked at Arthur, who turned as red as a tomato. Vivi couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction and thanked the doctor before leading him out of the hospital.


	2. Chapter 2

‘The van was towed back to your house, so we are going to have to get a cab back.’ Vivi explained to Arthur, who didn’t really care he was hoping that he didn’t have to see the van at the moment. Vivi got a cab and got in, she told the driver Arthur’s home address and they were off. They got out and Vivi thanked the driver while paying him Arthur had offered but Vivi shot him down. Vivi led the way to Arthur’s front door, Mystery disappeared through the doggy door before Vivi even got to the door. Vivi pulled out keys from her pocket and unlocked the door, she walked in like she didn’t have a care in the world. Arthur didn’t enter, he went to the van that was placed in the driveway. The van wasn’t fully his, he had a joint ownership of the van with Lewis. Well now it would be his thanks to Lewis’ death, but Arthur never really ever saw it as it ever being his in the first place. He knew every nook and cranny of the thing, after all, he has been the one that had taken it apart and back together again more times than he can remember. It would never be his, not for as long as he lived. Vivi came back out of the house and just saw Arthur staring at his van, she waited to see if he was going to do anything else. Then when nothing happened she walked up next to him and tried to find what he was so interested in.   
‘What are you doing?’ Arthur asked once he noticed her there. 

‘I wanted to know why you are staring at your van, was there something that you needed to fix on it?’ She asked. 

‘No, nothing like that. I was just thinking.’ Arthur said before turning back around to walk to his house, Vivi following after him. 

‘If there is something on your mind you can tell me.’ She said as she followed him into his living room, he had already dropped himself at his couch and didn’t look like he was going to get up any time soon. 

‘Nothing that you really need to worry about.’ He said, as he looked around the room. ‘Did you clean in here?’ He asked, Vivi smiled.

‘Yap, I cleaned up most of your house. Have you ever used your vacuum?’ Instead of answering her question, Arthur stood up and ran down the hallway. 

‘I didn’t touch your work place.’ Vivi called after him. Arthur changed the way his house was set up, compared to how every other person would. His house had two bedroom with one being a master bedroom, Arthur chose to make the master bedroom onto his work space. His bedroom was really only meant for sleeping in. Arthur got to his work space and walked in, the room didn’t even have a door on it. Vivi came in after him and watched him walk around the room checking to make sure that she was telling the truth, she stayed at the door frame. Arthur walked over to a filling cabinet and opened it, he pulled out a stake of papers and walked over to the workbench that he had in the middle of the room. 

‘Well you do whatever it is you are doing, I am going to order some pizza.’ Vivi said before leaving. Once she was gone, he put the stack of papers on the bench and pulled out the stool from under. The stack of papers where idea plans that he had thought of before and written down, and there was a single plan that he was looking for. The doctor that he met in hospital had left him with an idea, but he only had I slim idea of how make it. While going through the papers he finally came to the one that he was looking for. On the paper was a very rough drawing of a arm, a robotic arm. Mystery came to him sat on the ground next to him. 

‘Do you think it would be wrong to try to make my life better or should I live with what I have done?’ Arthur asked the dog. Mystery didn’t reply, but it wasn’t as if Arthur had expected him to. Mystery stood up and walked towards the door. Arthur had simple thought that he was leaving before he heard him bark, Arthur looked up and saw Mystery trying to get into one of Arthur’s tool boxes. Arthur stood up and walked over to him, he kneeled next the dog and he was still trying to get in. Arthur flipped the lock open and opened the toolbox, Mystery reached his head in and grabbed a screw driver. He turned and faced Arthur, Arthur opened his hand under his mouth and Mystery dropped in it. Arthur looked at it and then Mystery, he then went and jumped up onto the stool, grabbed the paper Arthur had just been looking at and brought it back to Arthur. Arthur looked at the screw driver in hand and then at the paper on the ground, he picked it up as well and walked back over to the bench. He had an idea, but he only knew how to build it not how to connect it to his shoulder. Mystery followed him happily back to the middle of the room and sat next to the stool as Arthur flipped the paper over and picked up a pencil from the bench, he sat down and started to draw out the plan for the arm. Vivi walked in after a few minutes and looked over his shoulder.

‘What are you planning on making?’ She asked, not able to see the arm being drawn out. 

‘You are going to find out later I guess, if you can’t see what it is from the plans.’ Arthur said with a smile.

‘All I see are some squiggles of wires and other things that I can’t name.’ She said in a huff and turned around. ‘The pizza should be here in ten minutes, don’t make me have to come back.’ Once she said that she walked out of the room. 

‘It’s a shame she didn’t see it.’ Arthur said to Mystery, whose tail started to wage happily. Arthur smiled at this and continued to work on the drawing, but it was slow going without having his right arm. He couldn’t keep the paper still, so he started to place a gear around the page as a weight. He didn’t even release the passage of time before Vivi re-entered with a pizza in hand. She stood behind him hoping that he would notice her there, but she realised that he was completely distracted by what he was doing. She opened the box lid and released the smell into the air, it didn’t take him long to raise his head and sniff the air. He looked at the clock that he had leaning against the wall on top of the filling cabinet, he panicked for a second before standing up quickly and turning right into Vivi. He yelped and jumped back into bench, sinking to the floor. 

‘What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?’ He asked once he got his voice out of his throat. Vivi couldn’t help but smile.

‘No, I just didn’t think that you would react like you did.’ She said, closing the pizza lid. ‘Come on, I am not going to let you eat in here.’ Arthur stood himself up with the help of the stool and followed Vivi out of the room. Vivi stopped in the kitchen and pulled out a stool that was on an island table that was in the middle of the room. There was another pizza sitting there and she waited for Arthur to join her, he took his time to get to her and sit down. 

‘So are you going to tell me what you are up to yet?’ Vivi asked as she opened up her pizza. Arthur smiled in genuine happiness, opening his box and pieced up a   
piece. 

‘I think I will leave it as a surprise for you, you will like it.’ He said before bitting down. The two of them kept silent as they ate, nether one of them wanting to stop eating as they have had nothing proper for a few days. Arthur finished before Vivi, but it was only because she was going to eat her whole pizza. Arthur only watched as she finished up, she saw the left overs that Arthur had and she sat there staring at them. Arthur could only roll his eyes as he pushed the box towards her, Vivi smiled as she proceeded to clean up. 

‘Do you still have the number of that doctor that was with us?’ Arthur asked, causing Vivi to choke on the bite she had just taken. Arthur jumped up and ran to his cupboard, pulling out a cup and then turned to the tap. He was delayed for a second as he remembered his current issue, as he stood there Vivi stuck her head under the tap and turned it on. Once Vivi finished she stood straight and looked into Arthur’s eyes, Arthur stepped back as she was to close for his comfort. 

‘Why?’ She asked slowly. She stepped back as well leaning on the cabinet that was right next to her. ‘Are you thinking of getting a prosthesis?’ He simple just shook his head and put the cup that he had in his hand down on the cabinet top. 

‘No, there is something else that I wanted her help with.’ He answered. 

‘Is this to do with the little project that you are working on?’ He nodded and started to walk back to his work room. 

‘No you don’t mister, you are going to come with me to go on a walk and then you can go back to your cave.’ Vivi said grabbing onto his arm and holding him into place. He groaned and looked at himself, he knew what was going to come out of her mouth next.

‘And you are going to get changed, it doesn’t have to be anything nice, but something that I can be seen with you.’ Arthur grumbled and once Vivi let him go he walked to his room. Arthur took his time to take off his pants, but as he was stepping his foot out of sleeve, his foot got caught in it and he lost his balance falling backwards. Arthur tried to break his fall with his arm, but it wasn’t enough to stop his head from hitting the floor. The thud must have been loud enough for Vivi to become worry as she ran into the room, Arthur grabbed the back of his head. When he opened his eyes and looked up at Vivi, he rolled over to his right side and groaned. Vivi helped him to sit up, once she was sure that he wasn’t going fall over she left him and walked to his closet. As he sat up Vivi was pulling clothes out and put them next to Arthur.

‘Do you want me to help you?’ Vivi asked, squatting down next to him. 

‘No I will just need to be more careful, that’s all.’ He said, he was blushing from the whole thing and was just trying to get her out of the room. Vivi smiled and stood, she walked to the door before turning around.

‘Make sure that you change underwear, I don’t even want to know how long you have been wearing that one.’ She said before walking out of the door, closing the door behind herself. Arthur got dressed without any other problems and walked out of the room, Vivi was waiting for him on the couch.

‘I was thinking about walking all the way to your uncles, you have a choice of going through the town or the forest.’ 

‘Do we have to go see my uncle?’ Arthur groaned, knowing Vivi his uncle would have already known about the “accident”, but she would leave it to him to tell his uncle all the details. 

‘So what do you chose, town or forest.’ Vivi asked while opening the door. Arthur watched as Mystery was happily running around outside, but eventually he looked at Vivi and saw that he had no choice but to go for that walk. 

‘Forest.’ He answered, following Vivi out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

It really was a nice day, with a blue sky with clouds every so often. They walked down the street in till it ended, where there was a path leading around the town. The small town that they lived in wasn’t much, but it was a stop by town and there was always a new tourists going through. Arthur couldn’t help but to fall in step behind Vivi as she walked happily along, in fact she was so into it that she soon started to skip along and hummed. Mystery was far ahead and was darting around, in and out of sight. Arthur’s pace slowed even more as they went on, eventually Vivi noticed and stopped as he caught up.

‘I know you are into this, but I think you forgot that you are with a mechanic that just left the hospital.’ Arthur said once he was standing next to her. Vivi blushed as she hadn’t really thought about it.

‘To be fair, it’s your arm that is gone not your leg.’ She pointed out.

‘You don’t need to remind me, and it still hurts.’ Arthur said starting to walk again. 

‘You should have told me. I could have given you some pain killers before we left.’ Vivi said before walking after him. Mystery seemed to have gotten tired as he ended up coming back to Arthur’s side. The path that they had been ended at a road that lead into town, on the other side of the road was where the out of town path continued, but the three of them followed the road into the short distance into town. The place they needed was called Kingsmen Mechanics and it was right ahead with the tow truck sitting in the front. Arthur didn’t want to go there to see his uncle, he would ask him questions that he wasn’t willing to give an answer to. Before he knew it, they were at the big open garage doors that acted as the entrance. The old rusted sign hanging above the large opening, Vivi walked right in with Mystery at her heels. 

‘Uncle Lance? Are you here?’ Vivi called out, Arthur stood just inside of the garage door. He stood there and looked around the large shed, he started to walk along the wall and looked into the open hood of a car that was left there with its engine sitting next to it. 

‘I think you should wait in till that stump of yours heal a bit more before you start work again.’ A voice said and a hand was placed on his left shoulder, Arthur jumped and his uncle’s voice laughed behind him. Arthur turned and he was pulled into a hug.

‘You idiot, what happened to you having the ultimate flight response?’ Lance said once he pulled away. 

‘Oh there you are Uncle Lance.’ Vivi said, walking to the two of them. Lance was a man that was well into his forties and had still managed to have long brown hair, thou there where a few grey streaks starting to show, it was tied back into a ponytail. Despite his age, he managed to keep his muscle tone from his work. He was a quiet man, that liked being left alone in his garage working, but he had taken quite a liking to Arthur.

‘I told you to stop calling me uncle, Arthur doesn’t even call me uncle anymore.’ Lance said walking away to the small office that sat to the side of the small hanger, they followed behind as Lance started to pour himself some coffee from a pot. 

‘Do any of you want some?’ He offered holding up the pot. Vivi took him up on the offer, Arthur shook his head and sat on a old wooden box that was almost considered his. 

‘She made you walk here didn’t she?’ Lance asked Arthur, who was leaning against the wall that was right next to the box. 

‘He at least got the choice of walking through the town or through the forest.’ Vivi said taking a sip from her mug. Lance looked at her with a frown. 

‘Vivi, would you do me a favour and take your dog for a walk. I think he needs it.’ Lance said raising his eye brow to her. Vivi looked at him looking confused before picked up Mystery and walking out of the room. 

‘There now we can talk, you haven’t told her anything have you.’ Lance asked. Arthur slouched further down along the wall. ‘Did you figure out that Vivi doesn’t remember Lewis?’ Arthur nodded. 

‘I am not going to stand here and try to get the details from you, but I want you to know that if you need me then I will, with no questions asked.’ Lance said before leaning on the wall next to him. 

 

‘Thanks Lance.’ Arthur said looking up at the older man with a sad smile. 

‘That’s all good, I am just glad that you are alive. From what Vivi told me, you had one of them pointed rocks fall on you and sever your arm clean off. Or that was the story that the doctors came to a conclusion. Heard that dog of hers pulled you away before she found you, with it already gone.’ Lance said looking down on Arthur, seeing if he would correct anything. 

‘What about Lewis? What did they say happened to him?’ Arthur asked instead, he was looking at his hand and decided that it was the most interesting thing that there was around. 

‘I think it was concluded that he just fell off, a terrible accident. The doctors even think that Vivi has mentally blocked out the poor boy, says she doesn’t even know who he was.’ Lance said before taking a big drink of his coffee. 

‘Vivi asked you to talk to me didn’t she?’ Arthur asked. 

‘Yup, she thinks that you would talk to me about what happened. Even though I think it would be the other way around that she and that boy have been more of a family to you then I could have ever been. All I did was move out here to get away from it all and I supposed I can take the blame for your genius with nuts and bolts.’ A thin smile appeared on Arthur’s lips. 

‘I don’t think you can take all of glory, I was already into it before I even met you.’ Arthur said. 

‘Well, I know that you still recovering, but do you want to help me. It will get your mind off things.’ Lance said, putting his mug down and walked to the doorway of the office. Arthur stood himself up and followed his uncle out into the garage, where he went to the same car that Arthur had been looking at earlier. Lance picked up a jack from next to the car and started to jack up the front right side of it, he then got himself down onto a trolley and rolled himself under the car. 

 

Vivi watched Mystery catching after a butterfly before it flew out of his jumping reach, once he realised this he ran back to Vivi, who was sitting on a bench staring at the ground. Vivi had walked with Mystery the short distance to a park that was nearby, she was going to wait in till she received a text message from Lance. Vivi was staring off into space in till she realised that Mystery was right next to her leg, she smiled and scratched him under his chin. She knew something was wrong with Arthur, but he wasn’t talking to him at all and they used to be so close. Mystery started to paw at her leg to get her attention, once she looked down she couldn’t help but to find Mystery grabbing his lead from next to Vivi and starting to walk back in the direction of Lance’s shop.

‘Not yet Mystery, I am going to wait for Lance to text me.’ Vivi said to the dog that only stopped to look at her for a second before continuing on. Vivi panicked and ran after the dog, picking him up.

‘Oh no you don’t, I don’t care if you can walk yourself back. You are not going to stop them from talking.’ Vivi said to the ball of fluff in her hands. Mystery rolled his eyes and waited in till she carried him back to the bench, she released him the moment she sat down. Mystery wasted no time in walking, instead he bolted out of his arms. Vivi started to run after him, but she didn’t even get half way there before she slowed to a walk. Mystery ran off and disappeared around a corner, Vivi stopped and pulled out her phone. The two of them had only been gone a little less than an hour, but by the time she did it would be. By the time she rounded the corner she saw Mystery sitting in front of the store waiting for her, he came bounding down the street and walked back with Vivi. As she was about to enter the garage, when she heared the two men that she left alone, but as she listened they were taking about a car. She found the two of them working, Arthur was kneeling on a stool and Lance was under the car. 

‘Alright, pushed down on it.’ Lance said, Arthur leaned in further into the car. 

‘What do you think you are doing?’ Vivi asked, she had put her hands on her hips. Arthur look behind him, but he had put all his weight on what he was leaning on and then there was a pop, Arthur fell further into the hood as Lance cried out and rolled himself out from under the car. Lance’s top half was completely covered in oil, he had been quick enough to turn his head, which resulted in only half his face becoming covered. Arthur pushed himself back up and he was looking down on his uncle, trying to suspend a laugh. Vivi was laughing out loud, but had still managed to walk over to a basket of rags and handed one to him. Lance tried his best to clean his face, but even then there was plenty left over. 

‘We were fixing a car Vivi, if you hadn’t figured it out.’ Lance said with a scowl. Arthur carefully managed to step down to the ground and walked over to his uncle, he had pulled off his completely oil stained shirt. He through it at Arthur, who walked away with it to the office. 

‘Weren’t you the one that told him to wait in til he was a little better?’ Vivi said with a scowl, her hands where now across her chest glaring down at Lance. 

‘You know that he will talk to you when he is ready.’ Lance said completely changing the topic. ‘He is keeping something back, but there would be a reason as to what.’ Vivi’s glare was gone and her arms where dropped to her side. 

‘So I was right, he was keeping something to himself.’

‘You need to give that boy some space.’ Lance said standing up, he put his hand on her shoulder. ‘He will come to you when he needs to and I am sure he will be grateful for it. You have always been there for him, you know he has never been very good with people.’ He squashed her shoulder and then walked to the office. He managed to see the Arthur quickly move away from the door and back to the sink. Lance looked over his shoulder to see Vivi putting water into a bucket for Mystery. Lance walked next to Arthur, who had been filling the sink with water to dunk the stained shirt.

‘Since you were listening.’ Lance said and Arthur tensed up. ‘You heard then, that Vivi is worried for you and is waiting for you to speak to her.’ Lance leaned over to a cabinet that had some clean clothes and pulled out a shirt that had small stains dotted around. 

‘I can’t speak to her, there was something in that cave. It was evil and I…’ Arthur said before he bit into his tongue to stop himself. Lance realised just how close he had been to spilling the truth, but he wasn’t about to continue. Lance sighed and patted his back before he put his clean shirt on. 

‘Hey what do you know of robotic limps?’ Arthur asked, not liking the silence. Lance looked at him in surprise and then smiled. 

‘Enough to know that I spent years wanting to create something as amazing at that, but the medical side of it had dragging that dream down into nothing.’ Lance said, before he looked at his nephews stump. 

‘Can you come over tonight, I want you opinion on something that I am working on.’ Arthur said and his uncle grinned. 

‘Of course I will, but I expect some dinner.’ 

‘What’s this about dinner?’ Vivi asked, the two of them looked at her just as her eyes went wide and jumped to the sink. She turned it off before the water spilt over the edge. 

‘How did nether one of you notice this?’ Vivi was saying as she released some of the water back down the drain. Arthur had stepped back and walked back to his wooden crate, sitting down on it. 

‘I will be coming for dinner, so could you have something ready for me.’ Lance said with the sweetest smile that he could make, Vivi couldn’t help but also smile. 

‘Of course you can.’ She said, before she cheeked the time on the wall. ‘We need to get going Arthur, I need to change your bandages and what not.’ She grabbed Arthur’s shirt and pulled him out of the office. Lance followed behind in till he got to the garage door, Vivi had let Arthur go and they were walking away together with Mystery in between them. Lance watched them walk away and couldn’t help but notice the way that Arthur walked, he was walking the exact same way that he did when he had been in high school, before he meet Lewis. Then they were gone from sight before he could look him over further, Lance couldn’t help but think back to the worse years of Arthur’s life as he walked back into the building.


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur was trying putting away his books into his locker as the wave of teenagers tried to do the same or just to get away from class. Arthur sighed as the five person had managed to push Arthur forward into his locker, once he had managed to finish what he was there to do he fit himself into the crowd as he made his way along. He had made his way to the technology room and he walked into the empty room. Arthur smiled as he made his way to the old projector that he had been working on, the school wasn't willing to pay for a professional to do and so they asked Arthur to do it instead. It was lunch time and he didn't do anything else anyway. He continued on from where he left it and worked on it silently, that was in till someone entered the room.

'Are you still trying to get that old thing to work?' Came a voice that could only belong to Vivi, he looked up and sure enough there she was smiling as bright as the sun. The next thing he knew the room had turned dark, Arthur's heart was in his throat. Vivi then started to cry and before Arthur could say anything to comfort her she shaped her gaze at him.

'How could you do it? He was your friend, your BEST friend.' She yelled out and she took a step forward. Arthur stood up and he relished that he was no longer in the class room he was back in the cave, there was also the odd sensation of there being something missing. When he looked down at his hands he realised that his left arm was gone. At the stump it was bloody and torn, exactly as it had been on that night. Arthur screamed and tried to run away, but he felt the firm grasp of a large hand grab his arm. He turned and saw Lewis' chest, but he drew no breath. Arthur couldn't look up into his face, he couldn't even move.

'Why did you do it?' Came the accusing voice of Lewis. Arthur still couldn't move, he felt frozen in place and soon enough Lewis released his arm and stepped out of view. He was falling into darkness.  
Arthur gasped and sat up, he quickly looked around. He was in his bed room, but for the moment he couldn't remember how he got there. Then he remembered that the walk to and from the garage had worn him out and Vivi had told him to rest, but instead of resting he had fallen asleep. Arthur shuffled out of bed and finally looked out the only window in the room, the sun was just beginning to set. Arthur could hear people speaking in his kitchen, but they were too muffled to make out the word. As he opened his door however the muffles were cleared.

'I just don't understand, how his arm had been severed by a rock?' Vivi had asked, she sounded as if she had been asking herself this for a while.

'The only other explanation was that something bit it off, but the doctors concluded that it would have been impossible for Mystery. He is far too small to have bit an arm clean off.' Lance's voice said quietly. Arthur moved along the hallway, but stopped just before it opened up.

'You know that Arthur is keeping something hidden, but you can't just walk up to him and demand it.' Lance said.

'So what am I supposed to do?' Vivi said with a raised voice that caused Arthur to sink further into the hallway. 'I heard him cry in his sleep and I am supposed to not do anything?' Vivi said, her voice was starting to shake. A chair moved and Lance's voice came from where Vivi's did.

'I know it's hard and I have offered to care for him as well, but you need to remember who Arthur is.' A cowered, liar and a traitor. Arthur thought. 'He is a quiet boy, that doesn't want to cause problems or pain for anyone else. If he thinks that he can take care of something himself, then he will do it by himself for as long as he can.' Lance continued on to say. Arthur could hear snuffles and guessed they were coming from Vivi, his started to feel really guilty and wanted to run out into the room, and spill everything to the two of them.

'But he doesn't have to do it by himself, he can talk to me. I swear that I would understand, why can't he see that.' She choked out. Arthur had enough and walked back down the hallway to his work space, for once in his life he wished there was a door on the hinges. Everything had been left from when he had been dragged away by Vivi and he sat himself back at the workbench, he smiled down at the rough drawing of a robotic arm. He heard some one walk into the room behind him, then the felling that same person looking over his shoulder.

'Wow, you got it almost all down. How are you going to connect it?' Lance said from right behind Arthur.

'I have a feeling that the doctor from the hospital would be able to help me with that, but hardly think I will have the money to pay for it.' Arthur said, turning to face his uncle. Lance picked up a pencil and started to scribble on a clean sheet of paper, Arthur's eyes widened at what his uncle was creating on the page.

'It was a idea that I had after I scraped the whole idea, I even went as far as asking a doctor if it was possible. He said in theory it was, but who knows now.' Lance said with a smile, he put down the pencil and patted Arthur's hair, with at that time had lost it form and was all over the place. 'I will talk to that doctor of yours for you, you finish the plan. How does that sound?'

'Yea, that sound great, but what about the cost?' Arthur asked. Lance tapped his left shoulder.

'You will be paying me back, once you get that new arm you will be working double time.' Lance said, he smiled, but he made it obvious that he was going to keep to his word. Arthur simply nodded and Lance left him to it.  
Lance stopped at the doorway and turned to look at his nephew, he had already started to copy down the idea that Lance had scribbled out. Lance smiled and walked down the hall, Vivi was busy in the kitchen. She noticed him coming and turned to face him.

'Did you talk to him?' she asked. Lance froze and Vivi glared at him.

'I thought we agreed that you were going to try to speak to him.' She said taking a step forward, Lance started to rub the back of his neck and took a step backwards.

'I did speak to him, but not about what you wanted me to.' He said carefully. 'Actually, I many have gotten distracted by his project.' Vivi turned back to the stove, where she had pasta cooking, and started to rub her temples.

'I swear you two are exactly like one another.' She said simply. Lance smiled.

'That's good to hear.' Lance said quietly to himself, but Vivi had heard. Vivi turned to him with a questable look. 'Never mind.' Lance said quickly before looking away. 

'Do you have the number of Arthur's doctor?' Vivi dug into her pocket and pulled out a bent piece of paper.

'He is making a prosthesis, isn't he?' Vivi asked, looking down on the paper before handing it to Lance. He just smiled in response before walking away, pulling out his cell phone from his pocket.


	5. Voices

Vivi sat at the dinner table alone. Arthur was still in his work room and Lance was still on his cell phone, just outside the front door. Mystery had even left her to god knows where, she had noticed that he had been disappearing lately. She had already sat out plates filled with spaghetti, glasses filled with water and cutlery ready to be used. She sat there and before she knew it, her eye lids closed.   
She awoke to Lance shaking her shoulder, he looked down on her and once she was awake, he sat down on the seat next to her. 

‘Sorry that it took so long, there was a lot to discuss. Mystery should be getting Arthur.’ Lance said, just as they could both hear barking and someone yelling. 

‘Mystery stop, you are going to pull off my pants.’ Arthur yelled from down the hall. Lance was laughing as he was able to see down the hall from his seat, Vivi stood up and leaned over. Arthur was holding onto his track pants as Mystery had the end of a pants sleeve in his mouth and he was pulling him along the ground, Arthur tried planting his free foot on the ground to fight against Mystery. Only to slow Mystery down that little bit more, Mystery got all the way to table end before releasing him. Mystery strolled over to Arthur’s side and when Arthur didn’t make a attempt to get up, Mystery flopped himself across Arthur’s torso. He flattened out to the point that he completely covered Arthur body, Arthur groaned but still made no attempt to move him. Mystery seemed to smile before wiggling around, Arthur seemed to growl and managed to roll onto his stomach. He also took that time to notice that Lance was staring down on him, Vivi slumped herself back into her chair. 

‘You mind helping me, or are you going to sit there with that stupid grin on your face.’ Arthur growled out. His face was starting to go red with the lack of oxygen entering his body. 

‘I think Mystery knows how much punishment you deserve.’ Lance said looking away to Vivi, he never saw how Arthur froze and how wide his eyes got. Mystery saw and stood up instantly, he wined and licked Arthur’s face. Arthur snapped out of the trance he seemed to be in and sat up with the help of Mystery pulling his shirt. 

‘Because of how long you guys took the dinner is now cold.’ Vivi went on the say, no one except Mystery say him freeze up. Arthur stood up, with the help of the table end, he looked back down the hall. Vivi saw that he wanted to leave, it was always the same look that he gave when they were out investigating. 

‘No you don’t, you are going to sit down with us and eat. You can go back you your project once you have finished at least half of your plate. Isn’t that right Lance?’ Vivi said turning to the older man, Lance had been drinking water as she suddenly called on him. It made him jump, which caused him to choke on the mouth full of water. Once he was breathing normally again, Lance looked at his nephew, then to Vivi. In all the years he has known them, he has never had to resolve any thing for them. There was silence from Lance and Arthur rolled his eyes, Lance was stuck thinking as he was trying to decide on what to say. Lance was completely comfortable to order any his workers in the garage, Arthur being one of them, but outside of that and any other way of communication was foreign to Lance. Arthur turned to leave, as Lance leapt out of his chair to grab his shirt. Arthur turned his head, he was annoyed as to who had also decided to stop him from his work. That annoyance faded when he saw Lance holding onto him. 

‘You are going to eat first.’ Lance said quickly. Then he nodded his head, just like all the times he had before when making decisions in the garage. ‘Yes, eat first then continue work.’ He released Arthur, Vivi kicked out a chair that was in front of her and looked to Arthur. 

‘Sit.’ She commanded, pointing to the chair. Arthur hesitated, before finally sitting down. Mystery made his way over to Vivi, who sat down a plate filled with cooked mincemeat on the ground for him. Vivi started straight away and started to wolf down her food, Lance had hardly gotten a few bits before Vivi was half way done.   
Arthur just poked at his food, he wasn’t in the mood to eat. In fact his mind had started to wonder as he wasn’t working on the robotic arm drawings. He had ideas filling his mind about the arm, but he wasn’t able to write any of it down. At this time he managed to put some food into his mouth and chewed, but he hardly registered it, for the first time his mind wondered over to the Lewis’ death. He still couldn’t believe what had happen that night, it had all been a blur and now it was all starting to repeat in his head. He stood up suddenly and excused himself before walking down the hallway, he passed his work room and entered his bathroom. He locked the door and lean against it, before sliding down to the cold ground. He finally released the tears that he had been holding in and pulled his knees to his chest, holding them close with his one and only arm. He closed his eyes and then came a knock on the door. 

‘Arthur?’ Came a very worried Vivi. ‘Are you alright? Is there something wrong?’ Arthur sobbed and pulled himself tighter, Vivi had heard the sob. 

‘Are you crying?’ Vivi said slowly. ‘Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong, you can’t keep this from me.’ Vivi said with anger. Arthur tried to shrink himself further, but that was now physically imposable. 

‘Go away Vivi.’ Arthur cried out. After a minute of silence, he heard small steps walk away. Arthur sighed. 

‘Do you really think that the girl will understand?’   
Arthur held his breath. He madly looked around the room to find the sources of the voice. 

‘You won’t find me, at least not unless you look inside of yourself.’

‘You…’ Arthur said tears flowing and he finally breathed. 

‘Yup, you didn’t truly believe that I had left you, I am not leaving any time soon.’

‘You killed him, you killed Lewis.’ Arthur whispered.

‘I think you are mistaken, you are the one that pushed him. I simply gave you the strength to do it.’   
Arthur was shaking his head, as to rid himself of the demon’s presence. 

‘I am still going to be here, no matter what you try.’ The demon laughed, its voice echoed around Arthur’s head. It seemed to have left, for now. The door unlocked and Arthur jumped away, before it swag open. He was on his hand and knees, and turned to see Lance looking down on him. In his eyes, was something that Arthur hadn’t seen in a long time. Sadness mixed with anger. When was the last time he had seen it Arthur asked himself. His thoughts were interrupted and he was lifted from his shirts collar, Lance had lifted him that he feet were just above the ground. Vivi looked on from behind Lance.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ Lance’s voice came out threatening and low. Arthur swallowed and was about to speak before cut off. ‘Vivi is here to help you and you just send her away.’ Lance pulled Arthur closer to his face. ‘You made her cry. Are to let her in and let her care for you.’ Lance said before releasing him, Arthur landed on his shaking feet and watched as his uncle walked away leaving Vivi standing in the hallway. Arthur looked at Vivi and his heart sank, she was puffy with red eyes, she had in fact been crying. 

‘I seem to do nothing but make you cry.’ Arthur said sadly. Vivi stepped forward.

‘Not on purpose you don’t, you are sad and that in turn is affecting me as well.’ She took another step before wrapping her arms around Arthur. Arthur was tense to her embrace, but after a while, he allowed himself to accept it. 

‘You killed him.’  
Arthur stepped back out of the embrace, Vivi looked confused. 

‘Sorry, I really am. I will go and finish my dinner.’ Arthur said quietly, he slipped by her and walked down the hall. Vivi could only follow behind. Lance was at the dinner table with Arthur’s drawings in hand, he had most like stopped at his work room on the way. He was now looking at Arthur as he entered the room, his eyes no long held the anger that it did before. Lance tried to smile when Arthur approached the table.

‘Would you mind if I left with these for a while? The doctor wanted to have a look at them.’ Lance said, Arthur nodded and dropped himself into his chair. Lance nodded and stood up, gathered the papers together and headed to the door. Vivi saw him leaving and walked with him to the door. Arthur continued to eat, but he heard the two of them having a conversation. 

‘You should really go home for a bit, have a shower, so out. Don’t stay cooped up in here, Arthur can take care of himself for a hour or so. You need to take care of yourself too.’ Lance said. 

‘Its fine, if I need a shower, I can take one here and I have books, clothes and my laptop. I don’t think that I should be leaving him alone, he needs someone around.’ Vivi said with a sigh. Arthur stopped eating and thought. Where was Vivi sleeping? He had no other bed then the one in his room, but there was always the coach. Arthur glanced next to the coach and there was a large blue bag that was one of Vivi’s travel bags. It was stuffed full of Vivi’s items, how hadn’t he seen that before? 

‘Vivi, you can always leave Mystery. I am sure that he can care for him as well.’ There was a pause before Lance sighed. ‘I won’t be back in till tomorrow, just promise me that you’ll go out.’ There was another pause before Vivi answered. 

‘Promise.’ She whispered. Lance left as Vivi re-entered the house, she smile when she saw that Arthur had finished half of his food. 

‘What to watch a movie, you can pick.’ Vivi said walking over. 

‘Na, I think I am just going to go to sleep.’ He said, the stump had started to hurt and he was tired. 

‘Alright, but not before you take a shower.’ She started to think. ‘That means we need to undo the bandage and then I need redo it for you. So then hurry up and take that shirt off, and go into the bathroom.’ Vivi said leaving him. Arthur made his way to the bathroom doorway as he started to pulled the shirt off, he found out pretty quickly that it was much harder one handed then if he was using two. He eventually figured it out as Vivi walked in, a first aid box and the brown paper bag that she received at the hospital. She sat him on the bathtub/shower and she started to undo the bandages.

‘You know, I could probably do it myself. I mean so you don’t need to worry...’ Arthur tried, but the glare that he received from Vivi shut him up. 

‘No because I am going to worry about it.’ Vivi said, she had finished and left for Arthur to take his shower. While he was taking his shower she entered and replaced his cloths, the shower have a curtain on it and Arthur never even knew. That is in till he finished and found a grey shirt and black boxers that he had forgotten that he owned, Vivi had taken her first aid and once Arthur got himself dressed he exited the bathroom. He didn’t know where Vivi was and so he headed to his bedroom, but that was exactly where she was. Vivi pulled him down into his bed, to re-bandage his shoulder, she had become quick and finished in no time. She pulled out a bottle with tablets inside, after reading the instructions. She already had a glass full of water and she placed two tablets into his hand. As she packed everything up, Arthur swallowed the pills and drank the water. Mystery walked in and jumped up onto the bed, already curling up to sleep. Vivi smiled at this and then turned to Arthur. He hadn’t made any move except swallow the tablets.

‘Good night.’ Vivi said simply and as she neared the door, she heard a quiet ‘Night’ from Arthur. Arthur rolled himself onto his bed and laid there. Once Vivi had closed the door Mystery sat up and listened, Arthur stared at him and then Mystery finally turned to face Arthur. The two of them stared, Mystery’s ears went down and he seemed to be thinking. 

‘I am sorry.’ Those three words came out of Mystery’s mouth. Arthur felt his heart skip a beat, but he didn’t show on his face. 

‘How long have you been able to speak?’ Arthur managed to say. 

‘For as long as I can remember.’ A dry laugh escaped him. 

‘Great so not only do I have a voice in my head.’ Arthur said closing his eyes, gaining Mystery’s full attention. ‘Now the dog talks.’

‘Arthur what do you mean a voice? Arthur?’ Mystery was asking, but Arthur was falling asleep and he didn’t fell like answering Mystery’s question. Mystery sighed once he realised that Arthur wasn’t going to be answering his question, so instead and moved towards his side and curled up next to him. He didn’t sleep thou, his mind was else were.


	6. Let's do this

Arthur was walking along the cave path, the green mist seemed to be continuously moving and it hugged Arthur’s body as he walked behind the mass of purple. Lewis. Arthur knew what was coming up and he had no clue as to how to stop the shove. A laugh filled the air, Arthur knew exactly whose it was. The demons, the laugh was so load that Arthur was sure that Lewis would have heard it. But then he remembered that this couldn’t possibly be happening. Arthur was scared, he didn’t want to watch as his friend fell to his death. He felt like he should be trembling or crying on the ground, but his body walked on. The demon laughed again as they neared the cliff.  
‘I believe you hadn’t been aware of what happened the first time, so let me show you it again.’  
‘No please, I don’t want to see it. I don’t want Lewis to die.’ Arthur pleaded.   
‘Yes, but you don’t have the power to stop me. You are nothing, nothing at all. That’s why you were so easy to control.’ The demon informed, it seemed to smile. Lewis was leaning over the cliff edge, he said something, but Arthur was unable to hear him.   
‘Lewis. Please run, it’s going to kill you.’ Arthur tried to warn.   
Arthur’s leg stepped forward and reached out his arm, it was the same rotten green that it had been that night. Arthur tried to close his eyes, but he was unable to do that. Lewis was turning saying something as he did so, then his arm shoved forward. Lewis’ eyes where first filled with surprise, then quickly replaced with fear. Arthur could feel the left side of his face twist into a smile, but he wasn’t smiling, not even close.   
‘What’s wrong, boy, you are now free from that maggot’s shadow.’  
‘I was never in his shadow.’ Arthur practically screamed. ’He was my friend and you killed him.’   
‘You killed him.’ The demon seemed to correct him.   
‘Whatever, I killed him and it’s all your damn fault.’   
‘Is it really? I am what I am, a demon, all I wanted was something interesting to happen and you walked right into my sight. You didn’t exactly fight me, you envied the maggot and of course you did have that sliver of hate for him.’   
‘No…’ Arthur whispered, he wanted to curl up and cry.   
‘Killer...’ 

Arthur awoke screaming and curled up as he started to sob uncontrollably. Mystery was right next to him and started to whine, he thought it would do Arthur some good if he didn’t start talking right off the bat.   
‘What did I do Mystery?’ Arthur wailed.   
‘Arthur.’ Mystery snapped, Arthur froze and stared at the dog. After a moment paced Arthur started crawling away, screaming as he did so. It wasn’t in till he fell of the bed that he quieted down. Mystery strolled over to the bed edge and looked down on Arthur, who had resumed to curling up.   
‘Thank god that Vivi went out.’ Mystery muttered. ‘You are not to blame yourself with what happened, that demon controlled your actions. Do you understand?’ Arthur just laid there curled up on the ground slightly shaking, Mystery didn’t know what to do. He knew that if he approached him then Arthur would only run away from him, after all he did bit off his arm.   
‘So did you see what happened?’ Arthur’s voice came out small and sad. Mystery looked down on him and realised that he was looking at him, watching him.   
‘I saw the end of it, just as your arm started turning green. I should have been quicker and used a way that didn’t result in you losing a limp.’ Mystery said, he was obviously sad and Arthur sat up. He paused before wrapping his arm around Mystery, Arthur was stiff and his breaths where rigid.   
‘You don’t need to force yourself, I understand why you are worried.’ Mystery said looking away. Arthur shook his head and pulled back a little to look at Mystery.  
‘I should be thanking you, who knows what would have happened if the demon still had control over me.’ Arthur said giving Mystery a shaking smile. Mystery’s ears went down and he looked at Arthur.   
‘So what was your nightmare about?’ Mystery asked, trying to get the attention away from himself. Arthur froze and pulled away from Mystery, he pulled his knees to his chest.   
‘It was nothing, nothing that you need to worry about.’ Arthur said slowly. Mystery jumped down from the bed and sat next to him, Arthur lend against him and buried his face into the dog’s fur.   
‘So what are you exactly?’ Arthur’s voice asked from within the fur.   
‘I think I was called Kitsune at some point in time.’ Arthur pulled away from Mystery.   
‘Does Vivi know?’  
‘No and I wasn’t even planning on you to know.’   
‘I suppose things happen.’ Before Mystery could respond, he stood up and his attention was on the bedroom door.   
‘Vivi’s back.’ He said simply and jumped back on the bed. Just as he sat down, Vivi opened the door and looked in. She had the look of surprise when she found Arthur on the floor. ‘  
‘Arthur, are you all right? Why are you on the ground?’ She asked. Arthur had no real answer for her, instead he just stood up and stayed silent.   
‘Well I can make you some breakfast.’ Vivi said, letting her questions go un-answered. She turned to leave, before turning back around as she remembered something. ‘Oh and Lance brought back your drawings with few written pages from the doctor, but you can look at those once you eat.’ She said, emphasising on the word eat. Arthur nodded and followed her down the hall, Mystery followed as well and stayed close to Arthur. Vivi was already making breakfast, but it was originally for herself. Vivi was happy enough to give some of her food to Arthur, she could always make more once he started working. Arthur sat himself at the kitchen counter, he watched as Vivi stood at the stove.  
‘You know you don’t have to stay here and take care of me this much, you shouldn’t have to.’ Arthur said and Vivi whipped around with a specula in hand.   
‘Oh no you don’t, I am not here out of pity. I am here because I know that if I leave you alone, you will hardly eat or sleep, expressly with this little project of yours.’ Vivi said glaring at him by the end.   
‘Well then at least sleep in my room and I will sleep out on the coach.’ Arthur offered. Vivi shook her head and turned back to the frying pan.  
‘I can’t accept that Arthur, at least not in till that shoulder of yours fully heals.’ Vivi said with a smile. Arthur said nothing, glad that he could stay in his comfy bed, but he didn’t think that he would be getting any sleep any more anyway. Vivi set up plates of food and joined him at the counter, just as Lance practically ran into the house. He stopped just before them and noticed that they were about to eat, he seemed to think as he considered whether or not he should leave.   
‘Would you like a beer while Arthur eats?’ Vivi asked him, Lance snapped out his frozen state and nodded. He seemed really existed, but he calmed himself down and accepted the offer. Vivi stood again and went to the fridge for the beverage, Lance pulled a chair from the dining table and sat down. He thanked Vivi and twisted off the cap, but didn’t take a drink at least not yet. His foot started to tap in a unrecognisable rhyme and he kept glancing at Arthur’s shoulder before taking a gulp of his drink. Vivi started to eat, Arthur was curious as to Lance’s reactions but he ate nether the less. He didn’t even get a few bits in when he realised that he had no appetite, he looked at Vivi and found that he was watching him. She had the look of some one that would hurt him if he didn’t eat at least half of what was on his plate, but with his lack of arm it had become increasing difficult to stuff his face with a continues flow. Vivi finished long before Arthur did and waited in till he was forcing food down into his stomach. Vivi’s hand rested on Arthur’s once he was no longer able to finish his meal.  
‘You don’t need to make yourself sick.’ She said picking up his plate and fork, she stood and turned to Lance. ‘You can spirt him away now.’ Lance picked up his beer and with his free arm he picked Arthur up, Arthur squeaked as he was half lead and dragged down the hall.   
‘I don’t think you will believe the ideas that the doctor had for robotic prosthetics, she even had some ideas that I never even though of.’ Lance said, Arthur looked at his face and he could see that his uncle was grinning. Mystery bounded down the hall, right at Arthur’s heels. Lance entered the workshop and continued on to the bench, were the drawing and notes were left. Lance realised Arthur and started to spread out the sheets of paper, his grin was reaching his ears and he turned to his nephew.   
‘Just read these and tell me what you think.’ Lance said, he pushed a few pages towards Arthur and pushed a stool towards him as well. Arthur sat down as his uncle crossed the room to get another stool that sat to the side as a spare, and sat down next to Arthur. Arthur’s eyes widened what he started to read through the notes that he had been passed.   
‘Wow.’ Was the only thing that came out of Arthur’s mouth as he started to become more indulged with the notes. Lance got up and started to walk around the room, every so often picking up a piece of something that found interest in. Lance didn’t even see Arthur get out of his chair and went to along the edges of the room picking up whatever he could carry with one hand and putting them on the main bench, Lance put back the piece and turned to find Arthur already laying out the pieces. Lance smiled as he walked back to his nephew.   
‘Lets do this.’ He said simply as he sat back down to help.


	7. A Month

Mystery was satisfied with how the humans the loved have been dealing. He had managed to give Arthur the nudge in the begging to get him to move on, even though Arthur was still suffering badly from nightmares. It was nearing a mouth since the cave and things were slowly going back to normal, Vivi had finally left Arthur’s house and went back to work. Arthur had been keeping himself busy with the arm, but every so often his uncle would call him back into work. It was a good thing that he was staying busy, because if he was left to his own thoughts then the demon would speak up. Mystery looked up from his spot at Arthur’s feet in the work room, Arthur hand his arm on the desk and his head on it. He had fallen asleep and the frown on his face was one of uncomforted, Mystery sighed and stood up.   
‘Arthur?’ He asked, before biting into his pants and shook his leg. Arthur grunted before, rolling his head away from Mystery. Mystery yanked on his pants so that Arthur jolted up to grab onto the table, once he realised he was safe, Arthur looked down on Mystery with a frown.   
‘Why would you do that?’ He asked, yawning.   
‘Why? Because if you fall asleep there, you will get a nightmare and fall off.’ Mystery said walking towards the door. Arthur stood and followed the dog down the hallway to his bedroom, he didn’t even unchanged as he fell onto the bed and fell back to sleep. Mystery sighed and he jumped up onto the bed, he laid down next to Arthur’s side and allowed himself to sleep as well. 

Green. Arthur’s nightmares always had green in them and they were almost always in the cave where Lewis died.   
‘So, do you really think that you building that arm will do you any good. It won’t bring Lewis back.’ The demon said. Arthur didn’t say anything, he hadn’t for weeks and this was starting to annoy the demon, but he wasn’t going let Arthur find out.   
‘So how is Vivi? Still doesn’t remember?’ The demon smiled to himself as Arthur’s mind tensed up a little. ‘Can you imagine what her reaction would be if she found out what you had done?’ The demon knew that Arthur was physically tired and wouldn’t have his full attention on the demon, this also annoyed the demon, and if Arthur was tired he didn’t pay attention on the demon then the demon was left with no way to torment. But. When Arthur woke up, then everything that was said would come at him in an instant. The demon had to be patent and it knew that, but it was still annoying. So to pass the time, it showed Arthur that night. Over and over again. 

Arthur was awaken by a slight bit to his ankle, he didn’t panic as he knew that it was only Mystery, in fact he was happy that the dog had interrupted his nightmare, but all that was said by the demon did get to him. He didn’t open his eyes, loving the peace that he had for the moment and of course that doesn’t even last long.  
‘Vivi’s going to be here in half a hour.’ That was all was need to be said to get Arthur to sit up, he wasn’t fully awake, but he didn’t need to be to walk to the bathroom. Mystery walked to the front door waiting for when Vivi would come and not even 20 minutes later she did. Vivi was welcomed by Mystery with a lick to her face and he received a tight hug.   
‘I missed you too Mystery, but it’s only been a few days.’ As Vivi was welcomed at the door, Arthur was trying to clean up the kitchen. It hadn’t been since a few days ago when Vivi visited last and there where dirty plates everywhere. Arthur one handily put them all into the dishwasher, but he was too slow as Vivi entered the room.   
‘Art, have you seriously not clean-up for two days?’ Vivi asked, making Arthur freeze. He had the last plate in hand and put it in before facing her.   
‘No that was just from last night.’ He lied, Vivi’s eye brow went up in doubt. Arthur kicked up his leg, closing the dishwasher.   
‘Unless you had a feast last night, I think you are lying.’ She said before she turned away. ‘Well ether way, we are still going to go out so go dry off your hair properly and do whatever you do with your hair.’ She said and went to sit on the couch. Arthur cursed, he thought that he had dried his hair enough that she wouldn’t notice that is was resent. Arthur walked off back into his bedroom and grabbed the towel he used from off the ground.  
‘I should have woke you up sooner.’ Mystery said from behind him. Arthur turned and threw the towel over his head, and rubbed it some more. He gave up soon afterward, with only one hand Arthur had found that things took long then they had before. The building of his arm was one of those.  
‘Na, I really shouldn’t have been up so late.’   
‘But you were up for a good reason.’ Mystery pointed out, walking to Arthur’s feet.   
‘I suppose so.’ Arthur said looking at his stump, Mystery nudged Arthur’s leg to make him look down.  
‘Don’t listen to that demon, it’s not just some odd invention that you are making because you are bored. You are making that arm to live like a normal human being.’   
‘But I killed with that arm, I don’t want a reminder that I did.’ Arthur whispered, sitting onto his bed.   
‘Tough.’ Mystery said firmly. Arthur looked at him in shock. ‘I will not let you slowly waste away when Vivi needs you and I have come to care for you as well, so I don’t want to lose you as well.’ Mystery continued on to say.   
‘But…’   
‘No I don’t want to hear it, you have people that care for you. Just remember that.’ Mystery said before leaving. Arthur only sighed and tossed the towel to the side, he stood up and headed back to the living room. Vivi was rubbing Mystery’s belly, she looked up to Arthur and smiled.   
‘Can’t you dress a bit better?’ She asked standing up. Arthur looked down on what he was wearing. It was an old grey long sleeved shirt and black track pants, he almost doesn’t wear anything else. ‘Or brighter?’  
‘You just want me to go outside, and no I don’t really have anything brighter to wear.’  
‘What happened with your orange pants and vest?’ Vivi asked.   
‘For one I can’t wear a vest with only one arm and the pants are somewhere in the laundry.’ Vivi frowned.   
‘When was the last time you did your laundry?’  
‘Are we going or what?’ Arthur said quickly heading for his front door. Vivi just rolled her eyes before heading to the door as well, Mystery was already waiting by the door. 

‘So how is that arm of yours going?’ Lance asked. The three of them had walked to the Kingsmen Garage and were eating lunch there.   
‘Lance, I drag him out of the house so he isn’t thinking about it.’ Vivi said pointing the piece of pizza at him.   
‘What’s wrong with asking him about it?’ Lance demined, pushing the piece out of his face.   
‘Actually it has been taking longer than I would have liked it to.’ Arthur said.  
‘I will come and help you then.’ Lance was saying, but Arthur was already shaking his head.  
‘You already spent too much time helping me, you have the garage to work on.’   
‘But if you need it then I can help, I am sure that this place can survive a few days without me here.’ Arthur did need his help, but didn’t want to make him leave work because of it.   
‘Alright, but only for a few days.’ Arthur said finally. Lance stood up from his spot and walked out of the office that they were eating in. Arthur had finished eating a while ago, Vivi was the only one that was finishing up what was left of the four boxes that they were eating from. Arthur stood and walked over to where Lance kept his cigarettes and lighter on the counter. Vivi saw this and winkled up her nose.  
‘Don’t even think about smoking in here, outside mister.’ She said pointing out the door. Arthur rolled his eyes as he pocketed the two items and walked out the office as well with Mystery right next to him. Right next to the office was a exit to the side of the building, he walked through this door and outside was were all the workers in the garage would go for their breaks if they didn’t go to the office. There was nothing but old plastic chairs along the alleyway, Arthur headed for the closes one and sat down.   
‘It’s funny how she doesn’t remember the fact that I had quit smoking for years.’ Arthur said to Mystery, as he pulled out the cigarette box.   
‘I still can’t believe that you went back to smoking, even though you promised Lewis that you would stop.’ Mystery said with a hint of anger. Arthur tapped the box in till one poked out of the packet, he pulled it out with his mouth before pocketing the box again.   
‘Well Lewis isn’t here anymore is he?’ Arthur said challenging Mystery’s anger. Arthur pulled out that lighter and light it, he took a deep break and held in for a while before releasing it.   
‘But you still promised him and don’t even want to know what he would think if he saw you now.’   
‘Mystery, just stop.’ Arthur said sadly. Mystery did, but only because he walked away from Arthur. Since the door was closed Mystery walked to the front entrance. Arthur sat there in silence as he smoked, but since he was left to his thoughts, the demon decided to speak up.  
‘I wonder if your uncle would still help if he knew about you killing your friend.’ Arthur frowned, he hated it when the demon would ask the questions that hide in the corners of his mind. He smoked on and didn’t give the demon a response.  
‘I know you are smoking to kill yourself, because you are too weak to do it yourself. That mutt that stays near you because he wants to make sure that Vivi won’t be sad again, but he can’t stop you from smoking. You should start drinking too.’   
‘Shut up.’ Arthur said simply. He stood once his cigarette was finish and dumped in into a bin that sat nearby. He entered the building, he really wanted to find his uncle or Vivi and head home. He found Vivi in the office, she had already finished cleaning up and looked about ready to head back home.   
‘So I guess that you are going to head back home with Lance.’ Vivi said.  
‘You are not going to come back with us?’ Arthur asked. Vivi shook her head.  
‘No, I get a bit bored if I have to listen to the two of you do your mechanic talk.’ Vivi admitted as she stood from her spot and walked to the offices doorway. ‘See you later Art.’ She smiled before leaving. Lance entered the room after she left, the two of them walked to the front entrance and found Mystery waiting for them. The three of them walked back together, but Arthur hung back from the other two.


	8. Sam

‘I can’t believe that you have been able to do this all by yourself, I mean you are practically finished.’ Lance said, he was looking over the nearly completed arm. There was still the shoulder to do and a case to put over it, the shoulder end had wires sticking out. Arthur was looking out into space, he hardly even heard what his uncle had said. They had made it back to Arthur’s house and Arthur had let his uncle to play around with the arm.   
‘Are you listening?’ Lance asked, he had put down the arm and looked over at his nephew. Lance sighed as he decided to work on shoulder connection for Arthur, expressly since he had gone to go see Dr. Chip for the help. While Lance was stuck in his work, he never noticed Arthur watching from his spot next to him.  
‘So I don’t think you ever explained to me how you know about prosthetics.’ Arthur said, making Lance turn to him with a smile.  
‘Didn’t I?’ Lance asked. ‘Well I suppose I could tell you. I guess I was around your age and I already had a safe job within the racing industry, but as I was becoming more popular I became more stressed and nervous all the time.’ Lance stopped as he checked to see if Arthur saw still listening, he was. ‘So as I was reading through a mechanics magazine, I found this really interesting article about artificial limbs and that got me hooked.’ Lance turned the arm over and continued on. ‘You should have heard the argument that I had with my parents, it would have been a lot like the one you had with my sister.’ Lance said with a sad smile.   
‘Well a long story short, I left and of course the artificial limbs idea didn’t work all that well after almost fifteen years. I went back to working in the racing industry, but I couldn’t handle the rush anymore, expressly as a common worker. I think that you know the rest of it.’ Lance said looking back at Arthur, he nodded. Arthur did in fact know what happened next, he met his uncle and when he finished school. He moved away with Vivi and Lewis, Lance had decided that he wanted to leave as well and own his own garage.   
‘So are you going to leave to do this all by myself?’ Lance asked snapping him out of his memories. Arthur picked up the next piece that was going to be added on and held it in place so his uncle can screw it in place.   
*  
Mystery could only wait as he sat in the hospital with Arthur and Vivi, unfortunately Lance wasn’t able to join them. It was a few days later, the arm was completed. The three of them sat waiting in Dr Chip’s office, Arthur walked around the office looking over all the half-finished prosthetics and on a table was the original sketches of Arthur’s arm. Vivi had the arm in her hands and she was still amazed by it.  
‘Careful, you might get your face with that look.’ Said a women’s voice. Vivi jolted up and looked to the door. Dr Chip stood there with a smile, her eyes drifted to the arm in her hands and she practically jumped on it. She looked so excited as she looked over to Arthur.   
‘Can I have a look, please?’ She pleaded. Arthur nodded and Vivi handed the arm to the doctor. The doctor went over to a table and looked it over like a child that just got a present, she looked like she was ready to rip it open as well. After a while she calmed down and looked over to Arthur.   
‘I have the bearings ready, but first we need to talk about payment. In fact I have a job offering as well.’ She said with the same grin that she had before. Arthur was confused, he was there to get his arm attached. He didn’t expect a job offer.   
‘What sort of job? I don’t have any medical training.’ Arthur said looking around the room.   
‘You don’t need any, I want to start a partnership with you.’ Arthur looked confused. ‘I want you to build me limbs, mechanical limbs. I can’t make them fast enough at the moment and I heard that you are in need of an income.’   
‘What about my uncle, I think he would be better suited for that sort of job.’   
‘Actually I did ask him, but he turned me down. He said something about the “younger one needs it more than me”. I am going to guess that he meant you.’ Dr Chip said, hugging the arm to her chest.   
‘I think it a great idea.’ Vivi piped in, standing up from her spot.   
‘But what if we need to travel, I can’t be building an arm on the road.’ Arthur said, turning to Vivi.   
‘Your uncle told me that you do travel every so often, but I am a reasonable person. The job won’t require you to have an arm done in a day, you would be able to have weeks to finish it and with more practise I am sure that you could be able to make it faster. It took you about three weeks to build your arm with only one hand correct?’ The doctor asked.  
‘But I had help from my uncle and from Vivi.’ Arthur explained.   
‘Yes and when you have two hands again, you will be able to easily make limbs.’   
‘Arthur take the offer.’ Vivi prompted Arthur, Arthur even looked over to where Mystery sat and even Mystery nodded.   
‘Yes.’ He said a little too quietly. ‘I can do it.’ Arthur said looking at the doctor.   
‘Good.’ She seemed to sigh and then she smiled. ‘We can take care of that later. Let’s get that brace on.’ Dr Chip turned stood up and walked away to another room. 

An hour later and Arthur and brace on the arm that would allow for the arm to connect, but they wouldn’t do that yet.   
‘Those connections should heal in a few days and then we can attach the arm.’ Dr Chip said, standing from the chair that was next to Arthur’s. Arthur was rubbing around the edges of the cool metal that was now attached to his shoulder.   
‘Thank you for this Dr Chip.’ Vivi said with a smile.   
‘Of course it’s my pleasure, the fact that I got a business partner out of it made it so much more rewarding.’   
‘Yes thank you for this Dr Chip, I don’t think I would have been able to do this by myself.’ Arthur said holding out his hand to the doctor.   
‘You’re welcome Arthur, you can start calling me Sam now. Especially if we are going to become partners.’ Sam said taking Arthur’s hand. Arthur blushed.  
‘Thank you Sam.’ Mystery could only roll his eyes as Arthur had said that last part with a bit of a squeak. Sam simply smiled and she waved them good bye. 

‘Arthur stop rubbing your shoulder.’ Vivi ordered Arthur. They were back at Arthur’s and dinner was pizza once again.   
‘I don’t think you understand just how annoying it is, it’s like having a scab that you can’t pick at.’ Arthur complained. He had already finished and like always, Vivi was cleaning up.   
‘Well you shouldn’t be trying to peck at it, it’s meant to heal.’ Vivi scolded as she closed the now empty box. Arthur ignored her as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, he tapped one out and pulled it out with his mouth. Placing the pack on the table, he then went on to pull out a lighter from the same pocket. Vivi went for a grab for the cigarette, but Arthur just leaned out of her reach, he was already use to her doing that and since he had started to smoke more regularly Vivi has become more determined to slow down his habit. He lit it and started to smoke, Vivi stood up in disguise and took the boxes away to the bin. When she came back Vivi picked up her bag from the table and headed for the door.   
‘See you in a few days’ guys.’ Vivi said turning her head to give them a smile. Once she left Arthur frowned at Mystery.  
‘What the hell am I meant to do for two days?’ Arthur asked the dog sitting on the couch. Mystery lifted his head to look at Arthur.  
‘I honestly don’t know, you could always go work at the garage. I am sure your uncle won’t mind.’ Mystery suggested, Arthur nodded considering it. ‘What about reading, that can keep your mind busy. Cant it?’ Arthur walked to where Vivi had left him a bag full of books, in the corner of the room. He started to pull them out and spread them out on the ground.  
‘I don’t know, I am an average reader. I hope I can keep busy like this.’ Mystery joined him and started to look at the books. After a while he picked one up and handed it to Arthur, Arthur picked it up and looked it over. Mystery had handed him a sci-fi adventure book, Arthur looked at him.  
‘Just start on one and will see if it keeps your mind occupied.’ Mystery said before Arthur went and sat himself on the couch nearby. 

A few hours later and Arthur had finished the book, it had kept his mind busy for the time, but he ended up having to force himself to finish the book. Arthur was in no rush to start another book any time soon. Instead he started on another cigarette, the last one had been finished soon after he had finished the first chapter.   
‘You really didn’t last long.’ Mystery said once Arthur had put the book down. Mystery had decided to lay down next to Arthur as he read.  
‘I didn’t think it was going to work anyway.’ Arthur said placing his hand on Mystery’s head and started to massage his scalp, Mystery didn’t say a thing as he was enjoying the massage.   
‘I think I will go check over my arm and then I might read another book.’ Arthur said finally. Arthur looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. He would have to wait in till the next day to go to the garage, he wouldn’t be able to spend another day in the house with nothing to occupy his mind. He feared it really. He left Mystery as he went to his work room, taking a random book on the way. 

Almost five hours later he had finished checking on his arm and the read the book. Arthur was left with nothing to do. He was sitting on his bed with Mystery.   
‘I don’t want to sleep…’ He said quietly turning to Mystery, the dog lifted his head.   
‘You will need to eventually, even if the demon talks to you.’ Mystery said sadly. In truth Mystery was mad, he had no real way to help Arthur. The demon most likely spoke to Arthur outside of his dreams, but Arthur would never tell. Mystery wondered if that was why Arthur had started to smoke more, but of course whenever they had conversations about the demon speaking, Arthur would shut up and not speak. Arthur had been left to staring up at his ceiling, hoping that something would appear to give him something to look at.


	9. Silent Demon

Arthur had finally feel asleep and surprisingly the demon didn’t say, or show him anything, and this worried him greatly. He spent an average day in the garage, he spent most of the day with the other mechanics that worked in there. In reality they wouldn’t stop pestering him about the arm he built and the brace on his shoulder, as they only just found out, which resulted in Lance having to chase them away every single time. It was late in the afternoon before Arthur could relax, he had the worse luck in thinking that the day was going to be a nice slow day. Instead he and the other workers had been worked to the bone, it was worse for Arthur as he wasn’t able to do any heavy lifting, but he was given plenty of other jobs to keep him busy. As he and Lance lounged out in the office, Arthur was too tired to even think and for that he was grateful.  
‘So I was thinking, you need a place to be making those limps for the doc. So how about here?’ Lance said from his place, he didn’t even look toward Arthur as he said it.   
‘I was thinking about just making them at my place, and where would I even make them here?’ Arthur asked, while looking at the ceiling.   
‘Well for one, you will burn down your house.’ Lance said turning his head to look straight at him. ‘And for another, you have no more room in that work room of yours.’ Arthur moved his gaze to Lance and gave him an agreeable nod.   
‘I suppose, but where in the shop would I be able to do it?’   
‘You know that old empty storage room that sits in the corner of the garage.’ Lance said and waited for Arthur to response, after a while Arthur nodded as he remembered. ‘Yea well, that room hasn’t been used in such a long time. We haven’t ever had any use for it and so you can use it.’   
‘Thanks Lance, I would like that.’ Arthur said after thinking it over a little. Lance smiled, happy that Arthur was letting him help. Then he frowned when he looked at the clock on the wall.   
‘Go home Arthur, I think you should be well rested for tomorrow.’ Arthur looked down to Mystery, who had just looked up at Arthur.   
‘I suppose we should get going.’ Arthur said to Mystery. Mystery stretched before standing up, he even yawned as he waited for Arthur to stand up. Arthur made his way to the garage’s huge door before looking back to see Lance smiling at him from the office doorway. Arthur gave a little wave before walking home. 

As Arthur settled in for bed he couldn’t shake the sense of uneasiness, even with Mystery laying down next to him. Eventually he closed his eyes and fell asleep, he realised why he was so uneasy.   
‘Hello Arthur, it’s been a while.’ The demons voice echoed around his head. Arthur decided to try to ignore him.  
‘Oh Arthur, don’t be so mean.’ The demon teased. ‘So tomorrow is a big day for you.’ The demon paused, waiting for a reply, when it didn’t get one it sighed. ‘I wonder what Lewis would think about you trying to get by the fact you killed him.’  
‘Don’t you dare say anything about Lewis, you didn’t know him.’ Arthur snapped and he instantly regretted it.   
‘Oh really? I know what you knew of him. I think he would be rather mad about the fact that someone who killed, shouldn’t be getting a chance of happiness.’   
‘You think I am happy?’ Arthur accused. ‘I don’t know what to do, I have to live because I still have Uncle Lance, Vivi and I even have Mystery. But… but…’ Arthur couldn’t finish.  
‘But do you really think that they would care for you once they found out that you killed Lewis?’ The demon finished for him.   
‘Mystery knows and he still cares.’ Arthur said, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.   
‘Does he?’ The demon asked. ‘I am sure that as long as Vivi is happy he wouldn’t care about what happened to you, you know you should really ask him why he sticks around you when he is Vivi’s dog.’ And with that said Arthur was thrown into consciousness. 

Arthur awoke with a jolt, he quickly looked at the clock, it read six am and Arthur could only groan. Mystery sat up with a confused look on his face.  
‘Why are you up Arthur, you have never awoken at this time of day before.’ Mystery then froze as tears freely flowed from Arthur’s eyes, Arthur threw his arm over his face to try to hide them.   
‘Mystery do you…’ He hiccupped as it got harder to speak. ‘Do you care about what happens to me?’ Arthur managed to say.   
‘Of course I do, you’re…’  
‘I mean do you care about me as a separate being or because if something happened to me, Vivi would be upset.’ Arthur cut in. Ugly silence cut between the two of them, Arthur wiped away the tears before looking at Mystery and the sight that he found stopped him from breathing. Mystery seemed to be basking in a white glow and his eyes also shone red. Arthur couldn’t help but try to crawl away from it, he didn’t get very far. Mystery jumped on top of his chest, the moment that weight was put on Arthur he froze.   
‘Is that really what you think?’ Mystery’s voice came out, but it echoed and Arthur could swear that he was hearing Arthur inside of his head.   
‘No.’ Arthur’s voice came out small. ‘The demon, it said…’ Mystery gave out a deep growled which cancelled out what Arthur was going to say.   
‘The demon.’ Mystery spat, he was angry and Arthur couldn’t figure out if it was him that he was mad at or at the demon. ‘You are listening to the words of a demon.’ Mystery said angrily, but then all anger disappeared from his facial features and replaced with sadness, he no longer glowed. ‘Arthur.’ He said softly, stepping of him. ‘If I didn’t care for you, then why would I only bit off your arm? I could have bitten your head clean off.’   
‘So Vivi…’ Arthur said slowly. Mystery shook his head, looking at Arthur with a pained expression.   
‘Arthur, you are going to have to learn to ignore it, ignore the demon. It speaks lies, you must realise that.’   
‘Yea, but… Oh Mystery I don’t think you understand. It speaks to me practically every night.’ Arthur said sitting up. ‘And sometimes when I am just alone.’   
‘I thought so.’ Mystery said with a nod, Arthur was taken aback by this.  
‘What do you mean? You knew it was speaking to me and you didn’t bother to tell me?’ Mystery’s eyes seemed to snap at him.  
‘I was supposed to tell you? Why didn’t you tell me that it was speaking to you in the first place?’ The two of them stared at one another, Arthur eventually looked away.   
‘I am sorry, I guess I didn’t want you to have to worry.’ Arthur apologised. Mystery simply sighed, he knew that this is how Arthur was and he wasn’t about to change any time soon.   
‘Arthur, you should really should get some rest.’ Mystery said with a smile. Arthur shook his head, he didn’t want to hear what the demon had to say. ‘I will try something so that the demon’s voice can’t be heard.’ Mystery assured. Arthur only thought for a while, about to say no again, but Mystery’s sure face made him think otherwise. Eventually Arthur laid down and curled up on himself, he was relieved when Mystery laid right next to him along his back and soon he fell asleep.  
It was peaceful with no green or the demons voice, disturbing him. There wasn’t even the feeling of unease and when Arthur awoke a few hours later, he felt more rested from the few hours prior, then he had been for the last month. Mystery was awake, sitting up when Arthur awoke and he gave a genuine smile to Mystery. Arthur stood up and grabbed clean clothes before Arthur looked at Mystery one last time before walking to the shower.   
Once Arthur was out of sight, Mystery slumped down onto the bed and closed his eyes. He was exhausted and he wouldn’t be able to keep the demon’s voice away forever. The humming from the shower made Mystery shake his head, what was he thinking? Arthur needed this and he was going to keep doing so, all he needed to do was sleep through the day and then he could keep the demon away at night. Mystery sighed, he was giving himself a lot of work. Mystery could hear Arthur in the kitchen, now whistling a little tune. Then it stopped as Mystery could only guess that Arthur was eating, speaking of eating, Mystery needed something to eat. He slowly jumped off the bed, his eyes still closed, it took him a while to open his eyes and make his way to the living room. Once he got there Arthur was watching TV and he turned to Mystery when he entered the room, Arthur frowned as he watched him and Mystery walked quickly away to where he had a self-feeding station that Arthur made himself. Mystery was aware of Arthur following him with his eyes, but he continued on as if nothing had changed. Mystery ate and Arthur’s eyes left him, Mystery sighed. Mystery made his way to the couch that Arthur sat at and curled up next to him, he was once again aware of Arthur watching him.   
‘What’s wrong Mystery? You look tired.’ Arthur said rubbing his back. Mystery tensed, even if Arthur didn’t want people worrying for him. He always knew when there was something wrong with the people around him, particularly those that he cared for.   
‘Mystery I know that this may not be the time for it, but what did you do to keep the demon silent?’ Arthur asked.   
‘Nothing that you should worry about.’ Mystery said closing his eyes.   
‘You are the one that got mad at me for keeping secrets last night, so out with it.’ When Mystery didn’t say anything, Arthur was about to continue just as his front door opened and a very happy Vivi walked into the room from the front entrance.   
‘Good morning Arthur, Mystery.’ She cried out loudly, she ran towards Arthur and decided to give him a bone crushing hug. Mystery had tried to crawl under the cushions that sat on one side of the coach, Vivi saw this and jumped on him.   
‘What’s got you so happy?’ Arthur asked, trying not to laugh at Mystery’s attempts of escape. Vivi finally released him and turned back to Arthur.  
‘It’s because you actually smiled when I entered the room, you haven’t done that in a month.’ Vivi said with a smile, Arthur shook his head.  
‘I don’t remember doing that, are you sure?’ Arthur asked, he was frowning as he thought it over. Vivi frowned as well and proceeded to pinching his cheeks.  
‘I want to see that smile again.’ Vivi said, as Arthur tried to swat her away from him. Once she released him, Arthur rubbed at the sore spots and glared at Vivi. Vivi just smiled as she made her way down the hallway, they heard the click of the bathroom door close and Arthur turned to Mystery.  
‘That conversation of ours isn’t over yet.’ Arthur said walking away, Mystery just laid down and fell asleep where he was.


	10. Kingsmen Mechanics

‘Alright Arthur it’s about time’ Sam said, Lance was holding the robotic arm in place as Sam went over what she was doing to Arthur. Arthur would nod every so often, Sam played around with some wires and had hooked some computer wires to the arm. Vivi could only sit there with Mystery and watch on, waiting for when it was connected.   
‘Ready? This is it.’ Arthur gave a slit nod and bit his lip, he watched as the doctor lined up the arm with the brace. Then she pressed a button and a hiss could be heard from Arthur, he clenched his fists together. Sam smiled as she looked over at the computer screen that sat nearby, Vivi had jumped up and was at his side in a moment. She noticed that Arthur was shaking, so she grabbed his flesh hand and held it, after a while he calmed down. Sam turned back to Arthur and started to disconnect the computer wires from the arm, she looked over at Lance and they smiled.  
‘You can move it now, I know your fingers work if you are clenching them.’ She said, looking away once more. Vivi had been watching him, realised that he was yet to look at his new arm.   
‘Arthur?’ She asked quietly, Lance had also noticed this and was starting to look rather worried. Arthur lifted his gaze from the floor and looked straight at Mystery, but to anyone else it would look like he was still looking at the floor. After a nod from Mystery, Arthur turned his head and looked at what he had connected to his shoulder.   
At first he thought that his arm was green, but that quickly disappeared as Arthur could see that it was silver. Arthur allowed himself to smile a bit as he lifted it and started to bend the joints, Arthur frowned soon after when he realised that shoulder was already strained at the new weight. He left a mental note about it and continued to test his fingers separately. Sam turned with a smile, she put her hands on it and helped him test as she could see that he was getting tired quickly.   
‘I was afraid that your arm was going to be a little heavy, but I am sure you can get used to it. If not, you can always make another.’ She said with a wink. Arthur nodded, already thinking up ways to reduce weight.   
Mystery marvelled the arm from his spot, being as old as he was, he never did understand how that arm was going to work, but was glad that it did. Even if he had no clue as to how it works. Vivi walked back to Mystery and sat down next to him.   
‘So Arthur a little tip from me, don’t sleep with your arm on. Ok?’ Sam said as Arthur stood up from the chair that he had been sitting in. Arthur looked a little confused as he looked at his new arm, trying to figure out any physical need to take it off.   
‘You will get nightmares.’ She warned. Arthur eye widened, he didn’t want any more of those.   
‘Thanks for the tip.’ Arthur thanked and nodded his head a bit.   
‘See you guys next time.’ Sam said before turning away to paperwork. The four of them left, while Vivi was grabbing at his new arm and playing around with it.   
*  
‘Lance I don’t think that this is what I should be doing after an arm is attached to me and besides, I hate it when the other guys keep trying to poke at it.’ Arthur said as he was replacing the tires on a jeep, that Lance was working on. Lance’s head appeared from under the car, he had rolled himself to Arthur and was thinking it over.   
‘Well I can tell the others to shove off, but you did tell me that you were going to work off your payments to me.’ Lance said, as he rolled himself back under the car. Arthur frowned.  
‘I don’t own anything to you, I am paying the doc back when I build the limbs for her.’ Lance’s face appeared again and Arthur looked down at him.   
‘Who got you started on that arm of yours?’ Lance asked, Arthur’s frown soon left him.  
‘You did.’ Arthur said already defeated, but Lance pushed on.   
‘Who taught you how to build the bases of your arm?’ Arthur glared before answering.   
‘You did…’ Lance nodded, satisfied.   
‘Oi, Lance.’ Came a cry from across the garage, Lance craned his neck to look. ‘Them Janson brother’s said they aren’t going to pay. Greg and Junior are about to tear them apart.’ Arthur stepped out of the way as Lance rolled himself from under the car, he rolled his eyes in annoyance and headed to the office. Arthur finished replacing the last wheel and headed in the same direction, as Lance went.   
‘You boys have to pay for the work we did.’ Arthur saw Greg, one of the workers in the garage, some veins visible on his neck. He was a old man, a bit older then Lance, he had short pure grey hair. Then again it wasn’t even natural, he dyed it the moment he had started to get grey hairs, though no one knew why he hadn’t just dyed his hair to the black that he apparently was born with. Another man stood next to him, his son, Junior had one hand on his father’s shoulder. Junior had kept his hair as was and it had turned into mop, with random strands of hair sticking up. Junior was five years older than Arthur, at twenty six, and he always reminded Arthur of it.   
‘We will not, the work you provided last time was shit and we almost broke down.’ The Jason brothers where two men that had were apparently dangerous in a fighting ring. Arthur stopped at the doorway and watched, Lance stood in between the two sides.   
‘It wouldn’t break down, if you actually used your car for what is should be used for.’ Junior said, trying to hold the venom from his voice.   
‘What did you say boy?’ The older brother said he took a step toward him, but Lance didn’t budge from his spot. ‘Do you have something to say?’ Arthur knew for a fact that there were two other employees working that day and he knew that they were right behind him watching at that moment.   
‘Did the old fart start another fight?’ One of them said, leaning on Arthur to get a better view. Arthur knew who it was. His name was Jet and he had was officially the youngest member at the age of nineteen, but he was easily the oddest of them all. Every few weeks he would change the colour of his hair, at the moment he had sporting navy blue hair and he had tied back his shoulder length hair as instructed by Lance. He also had a tattoo on the right side of his neck that showed a sparrow in flight.   
‘No. They were giving me trouble and the two of them saw.’ Came the sigh of the other man that sat to the side of the door. His name was Hank, he was a family man at the age of thirdly three, with brown hair and he would happily avoid conflict when he can.   
‘So do you have something to say, or are you just going to stand there?’ The younger brother taunted.   
‘Five bucks says that the old fart will punch the two of them by the end of it.’ Jet whispered to Jack.   
‘You’re on.’ Jack said, Arthur knew that he was smiling. Gambling was one of Hank’s weakness.   
Junior released his father and took a step forward as well, Lance shifted to block his way.  
‘Junior.’ Lance warned. Lance turned to the brothers. ‘We will talk this out, I don’t want any fighting here.’ Lance said he glanced at the father and son, telling them to leave. They did, even if they kept glancing death glares at the brothers, Arthur and the other two moved from the doorway and moved away from the room when Lance glared at them. The younger brother left after the two brothers spoke to one another, he was shut out and left to walk around the garage. The employees went back to what they were going before, only Arthur and Hank went back to work. Greg, Junior and Jet sat near the exit to the ally and sat on chairs that they pulled out from it, Greg’s eyes never left the Jason brother as he wondered around.   
Arthur checked that the tires on the jeep weren’t going anywhere and he went to go change the oil of a small hatchback that was parked nearby, it was the next thing he had on his mental list. Jet’s voice cut through that air before he opened the hood of the car.   
‘I did it already.’ He yelled out. Arthur gave a thumps up and made his way over to where the other three sat, when he got there Jet kicked a chair towards him. Before long and Hank also joined them, he was cleaning his fingers the best he could with a rag before shoving it into his back pocket. When he sat, all of them seemed to sigh. Without Lance giving orders, they were given a rare chance to relax. The younger Jason brother got bored with the shop and made his way back to the office area, the group was right next to the office. Hank broke the silence as he turned to Arthur, Arthur saw him looking at his left arm.  
‘No.’ Arthur said firmly. Jet the others where now looking at Arthur’s arm and Arthur held it close to his chest.   
‘Please Arthur there is nothing else to do.’ Junior pleaded, even Greg had taken his eyes off the Jason brother to look at Arthur’s arm. Arthur sighed and finally gave in, he held it out and the moment he did Greg pulled out a screwdriver from one of his pockets. Arthur couldn’t do a thing as he started to unscrew the screws that held the plate that was on the inside of his arm, Arthur couldn’t take their tugging and he found the button that disconnect the arm from the brace. It took them a while to realise that the arm was no longer attacked to Arthur, all eyes were on him.   
‘That’s so cool.’ Jet exclaimed as he leaned over Greg, Arthur just sat there. He realised just how much the arms weight had been affecting him just as it was gone, he smiled at how the others where amazed by his arm.   
‘The hell happened with you?’ Arthur looked up to find the younger brother staring at his left side, Arthur’s smile left and Junior stood up. He moved to put himself in front of Arthur and glared at the Jason fellow.  
‘None of your damn business.’ Junior said, as he crossed his arms. The Jason brother backed away instantly and looked away. The door from the office opened and they all jumped to their feet, the older brother walked out and gestured for his brother to follow. He did without a word, he did however glanced back at Arthur as he left. Hank nudged Jet and with a sigh, Jet handed him a five dollar bill. Lance came out of the office and turned to his workers, he noticed Greg with Arthur’s arm and Greg worked quickly put back the one piece. Once he made his way to the group he had a bit of a smile that he was trying to hide, Arthur had his arm back by the time that Lance stood right in front of them.   
‘So I have a job for us, well for you guys.’ He said smiling. Jet groaned as he fell back into his seat.  
‘The hell sort of job is it, because I see any new cars rolling on.’ Jet said looking back up at Lance.   
‘You guys are going to go clean up the empty room with Arthur, something different for you guys. Except Greg and Hank, I got something else in mind for you two.’ Jet just sat in his chair and groaned, that is in till Junior punched him with enough force to make him fall off.


	11. Cleaning up

‘Sorry guys.’ Arthur apologised for the fifth time, Junior spun on his spot and pointed a dirty mop at him.   
‘Shut it will you, we are getting paid for this so I don’t care.’ Junior said, the end of the mop putting another smug on Arthur’s already stained shirt.   
‘Yea it’s not really that bad.’ Jet said, the two of them turned to look at him. Jet sitting on a bucket with his hands on the back of his head and leaning on the wall, his eyes was closed and was settling in to a nap. Arthur glanced at Junior, who was shaking in anger, put two hands on his mop. Arthur could only watch as Junior took a single large step and swung at the bucket under Jet, Jet must have heard Junior approaching as he cracked his eye a little. Both of his eyes widened as the bucket disappeared from under him, he fell to the wet ground and his entire backside was soaked.  
‘Don’t piss me off Jet.’ Junior said before turning back to Arthur. ‘Do you know where your uncle sent my father and Hank to go do?’ He asked Arthur, Arthur only shook his head as he strained the water from his mop. Jet stood up and grumbled something before he grabbed his mop, he started to clean up the water without another word. The room was practically done, though there wasn’t anything else to do except clean the floor, the room was empty to begin with.   
‘Hello? Guys? Is there anyone here?’ Came a voice that echoed around the garage. The three boys were lucky to have heard it, they had left the door open which allowed the sound to reach. Jet’s mood light up instantly and he was about to run out into the garage, but Junior’s glare at him which held him in place. Arthur lend his mop against a wall and he left the room, standing against the office’s door was the Kingsmen’s artist, as she liked to call herself.   
‘Nina.’ Arthur yelled out and the women turned to his voice. Nina was a women that was most likely at her best, she has never said what her age was, but there was the guess of her being around twenty five. She had wavy orange hair that was always up in a bun when she was working, at the moment is was free and wild.   
‘Arthur.’ She squealed before running at him with a smile, she grabbed his shoulders. Arthur was already tense, she then started to shake him in excitement. ‘I haven’t seen you in ages.’ When she stopped shaking him, Arthur brought his right hand to his head and ran his fingers thought his hair.   
‘But you saw me last week.’ Arthur said confused, she laughed before hitting his left shoulder.   
‘No you silly. I mean I haven’t seen you whole in a while.’ She said looking at his left hand.   
‘Yea, sure. Whole.’ Arthur said looking to the floor.   
‘Nina, leave Arthur alone. Stop bugging him.’ Junior called from the room doorway. Nina pouted.  
‘I wasn’t bugging him.’ She said crossing her arms.   
‘Why are you here? You don’t have any work today.’ Arthur asked, Nina turned to him with a smile. She had a backpack over one shoulder and she tossed it to the floor, and she ripped it open as she dug her hand in.  
‘Your uncle gave me a call, asked me to paint the new room in some way. He did say white or something like that, but…’ She pulled out a spray can. ‘What do you think about a something bright, like yellow? It is your colour after all.’ She looked at her bag.   
‘Of course, if you don’t want a mult-coloured room. I will have to go next door for a single colour.’ She said looking at the can in her hand.   
‘Its fine Nina, the room is fine as is and I don’t think that I would be looking at the walls much anyway.’ Nina frowned before stuffing the spray can back into her bag.   
‘Alright, then.’ She said sadly, before smiling again. ‘Well what are the two of you doing?’ She asked. Jet’s cry could be heard from inside the room.   
‘There is three of us, Junior won’t let me out.’ Jet whined. Nina looked shocked and she frowned at Junior, who quickly looked away. With nothing said Junior stepped out of the doorway and Jet’s head could be seen poking out, before he exited. Nina started to laugh when she spotted the stain on his backside, Jet frowned as he remembered.   
‘Oh, Jet. What happened?’ Nina asked once she stopped laughing, the only response was Jet glaring at Junior. They heard the old truck that Hank own drive into the Garage, once they stopped, Greg jumped out and walked to the back of it. There were several metal pieces that looked like parts of a table, work benches, Arthur found out once they moved the parts into the room. Lance entered the garage just as they finished.  
‘Good, I think that is all for today. Arthur can take it from here, it is his workshop now.’ Lance said looking at some papers in his hands, he looked up and smiled at Arthur. Arthur walked back to the doorway of his workshop and looked in.   
‘Does that mean I can finally go home? I was meant to leave an hour ago.’ Jet complained. Arthur could hear his uncle grumble something before Jet yelled a goodbye, he heard the others also say their goodbyes before leaving. Lance walked up to the doorway as Arthur disappeared into the middle of the room.  
‘What’s up, I would think you would be a little more…’ Lance paused as he chose his word. ‘Happy with how things are going.’ Arthur turned to look at his uncle, he couldn’t tell his uncle exactly what was happening but he could give him some sort of an excuse.   
‘Well.’ Arthur started. ‘Things seem to be going to well, within a month I have been able to replace my arm and I got a job out of it.’   
‘You make it sound like that’s a bad thing.’ Lance said walking to Arthur’s side. When Arthur didn’t say anything to that, Lance sighed, he wanted some answers.   
‘Something happened that night that has been kept back, actually the whole story from that night had been sketchy at best.’ Lance said, Arthur had turned away. ‘Arthur, you use to be so much happier, in till that night that is. I know some pretty bad stuff happened, but lately it seems to me that you are not allowing yourself to be happy at all.’ Arthur turned his head slightly to look at Lance, tears were already falling.   
‘If you knew what happened, I would be hated.’ Arthur said quietly. Lance frowned, he loved the boy like his own son. There was nothing that could make him hate him, nothing.   
‘Arthur there is nothing that would make me hate you, not even murder.’ The moment those words left his lips Arthur was on the ground hugging himself and he started to sob. Lance was hugging him on instinct and trying to calm him down by rubbing his back.   
‘I am so sorry. Lewis. I am sorry.’ Arthur started to break down and he kept repeating those words.   
‘Arthur.’ Lance snapped, causing Arthur to jump and look at him. ‘Arthur. I already know that you didn’t do it. Right?’ The last word came out shaking.   
‘There was this spirt or demon in that cave.’ Arthur struggled to breathe, but kept going. ‘We split up and was left alone with Lewis.’ Arthur pulled away from Lance and he hugged his knees, looking at the floor as he continued. ‘I was felling odd since we had entered but I ignored it and didn’t say a thing.’ Arthur yelled out the bit. ‘We got to an overhang and Lewis went to look over the edge, and…and’ Arthur sobbed into his hands. ‘My hand, my left hand, was no long in my control.’ He held out his left arm and looked at it. ‘I pushed him, me, my hand pushed Lewis of that ledge and he fell to his death.’ Arthur went quiet and let his hand fall, Lance knelled down next to his nephew as he struggled to breath.   
‘You would never kill him, not by your own free will.’ Lance whispered as he pulled Arthur into another hug. ‘He meant too much for you. Whatever was in that cave, did this. It killed Lewis, not you.’   
‘But it was my hand.’ Arthur could barely say. Lance shook his head.  
‘It may have been, you were in no control of it.’   
‘But…’  
‘You have got to stop blaming yourself, you are making Vivi worry.’ Arthur pulled away, sitting on the floor. He didn’t care that it was still wet, he looked at his left arm.   
‘So how did you lose it then? You don’t have to tell me but…’  
‘Mystery. I suppose that I should tell you he is no ordinary dog.’ Arthur said not going to explain it further. Lance just nodded his head, accepting any information that he was given. He gave Arthur one last squeeze before standing up, had grabbed Arthur’s right hand on his way and he gave it a light tug.   
‘Come on, Vivi still wants to celebrate and you probably shouldn’t look like this if you don’t want to tell Vivi about it.’ Arthur nodded as he let himself be pulled up by Lance, once standing Arthur wiped away the evidence of tears. Lance left the room with Arthur following right behind him, Lance went to the office and shuffled around some papers into a filling cabinet. Arthur just sat down in till Lance finished up, Lance drove Arthur home in his old pickup truck. As it turned out Vivi was already there and she had pizza and drinks, Mystery followed Arthur to his bedroom.   
‘Something happened.’ Mystery stated. ‘What happened?’ Arthur pulled his shirt from him and dropped it to the floor before turning to Mystery.  
‘Lance knows about that night.’ Arthur answered, pulling a clean shirt out of his closet.   
‘He told you that it wasn’t your fault, didn’t he.’ Arthur dropped his overall on the ground as he changed his pants.  
‘Yea. So?’   
‘And are you still blaming yourself?’ Mystery asked. Arthur just finished pulling up his pants and looked at the dog.  
‘Yes.’ He said simply, no doubt in his eyes. Mystery gave a soft growl.  
‘And whys that?’ He asked annoyed at Arthur.  
‘Because in till I hear it from Lewis, it won’t stop me from feeling that it was my fault and since he isn’t about to appear anytime soon, I won’t be forgiving myself any time soon.’ Arthur said glaring at Mystery before exiting his room. Mystery sighed sadly before following him out.


	12. Life Back on Track

Arthur had managed to fake smiles and talk enough so that Vivi didn’t suspect a thing, but every so often Arthur would have Lance or Mystery giving him looks which he chose to ignore. A few hours later and Vivi left to go home, Lance left soon after and Arthur was left alone with Mystery.  
‘Are you ever going to tell Vivi what happened?’ Mystery asked, he was sitting next to Arthur on the couch. Arthur frowned and looked at Mystery.  
‘Are you ever going to tell Vivi that you are some magical six tailed fox?’ Arthur responded. Mystery matched Arthur’s frown.   
‘That’s hardly fair, I am not beating myself up about my secret.’   
‘I am not about just tell her that I killed our best friend.’ Arthur said closing his eyes.  
‘Arthur you seemed to have gotten into your head that Vivi won’t understand that you where possessed, but she will. That would be her first guess.’ Mystery said laying his head on Arthur’s leg.  
‘I just don’t want to risk it…’ Arthur said slowly.   
‘Fine, but what happens and you have to tell her.’ Mystery asked slowly. Arthur sighed.  
‘Only when the time comes will I tell her.’ Arthur said firmly, he turned to Mystery and Mystery returned with a smile.   
‘Fine. I will accept that.’ Mystery looks at the wall clock. ‘You should go to bed.’ Arthur followed his gaze and nodded. He wasn’t about to argue with the magical beast, he could most likely pick him up and throw him into bed if he didn’t listen. Arthur made his way to his bedroom and once he changed into his sleeping clothes, he was about to crawl into bed before he remember about his left arm. Mystery walked over to him and whined a bit, Arthur took it off before carefully placing it on his bed side table.  
‘What do you think Lewis would think of it?’ Arthur asked as he laid down, Mystery jump up onto the bed and looked at the arm on the table.   
‘I think he would be proud at what you accomplished, he was always impressed by what you made.’ Mystery said before laying down next to him.   
‘Even if it replaced the hand I killed with.’ Arthur said quietly, Mystery growled a warning that Arthur should stop speaking. Arthur sighed before closing his eyes and fell into a restless sleep, green started to appear on the insides of his eyelids. When Arthur opened his eyes again he already knew that he was in some sort of dream.  
‘Hello Arthur.’ The demon said, Arthur tried to pull away, he wanted to hide himself in his own mind, but the demon was in his mind and so there was no were to hide.

 

When Arthur awoke in the morning, he wanted nothing more than to stay where he was but he had promised Vivi that he was going to visit her and Mystery was already nudging him to get up.   
‘Come on.’ Mystery urged, Arthur just grunted as he got up and changed clothes. It wasn’t long in till he managed to get to the fridge and pull out left overs that Vivi brought for him, she was always looking out for him and for that Arthur was grateful. He would have starved a long time ago if it hadn’t been for both Vivi and Lance, even Mystery had forced him to eat a lot of the time. Arthur ate the few bits that he allowed himself and headed for his room to get his arm, after that was done he headed for the front door. Mystery was waiting for him by the door and once he opened it, Mystery ran to the van.   
‘You want me to drive there?’ Arthur asked, Mystery just glared at him. Arthur had always been avoiding the use of the van and Mystery was sick of it. He looked around before speaking.  
‘Arthur, this is your van too. In a sense you own it more, since you fix it all the time.’ Mystery said once he was sure that no one was around.   
‘Yea, but Lewis was always driving it. Even if I was fixing it.’ Arthur said before finally opening the driver’s door, after Mystery jumped in Arthur climbed in after him. Arthur only sighed as he turned on the van and pulled out of the drive way. On the way there Mystery noticed the frown on his face, he looked like he was thinking but they were most likely dark thoughts.  
‘Arthur, what are you thinking about?’ Mystery asked. Arthur snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him.  
‘Nothing, what made you think that I was thinking about anything?’ Arthur asked quickly.  
‘Your face Arthur, that’s how. You are not very good at hiding your feelings and I could see that you were thinking dark thoughts.’ Mystery said just as they pulled up to Vivi’s apartment building, Arthur didn’t say anything to this as he turned off the engine. Vivi was already outside and was opening the passenger door to greet Mystery, she had her hands wrapped around Mystery when she looked at Arthur and frowned.  
‘What’s wrong Arthur?’ She asked as she pulled away from Mystery and let him jump out of the car, Arthur looked at her with sad eyes before shaking his head and getting out of the car.   
‘It’s nothing Vi.’ He said walking up to her, Vivi was surprised. He hadn’t used her nickname since the cave accident, she smiled.  
‘Alright then Arty, but if you need to tell me something. Just come and tell me.’ She said and emphasised on his nickname that she had given him when they had been younger, Arthur frowned and looked at her.  
‘You know I don’t like that name.’ He said as she turned back to the opened front door of her apartment building.  
‘Yes you do, you just pretend otherwise.’ She said as she walked to the door, Arthur followed behind just as soon as he closed the van door that she had left open. 

 

‘So I was thinking about getting back into doing some investigations.’ Vivi said just as she handed Arthur a mug of coffee, Arthur almost spilt it in his lap. Mystery even lifted his head in surprise, he and Arthur shared a worried glance before Vivi noticed.  
‘Don’t you think it’s a bit early? I mean I haven’t even transferred all of my gear to my workshop.’ Arthur managed to say as he placed the mug on the coffee table, Vivi frowned from her end of the couch. Mystery managed to glance another look at Arthur from his spot in the middle of them, Vivi was thinking.  
‘Well how long will it take you, don’t you work this afternoon?’ Vivi asked, Arthur picked up his mug to take a sip. He tried to think of an excuse as to why they couldn’t go out and look for ghosts, but he came up with nothing.   
‘Yea I am, but it’s only when I finish work that I can move my things and I was only going to do it if I wasn’t tired.’ Arthur explained. Vivi thought a bit more.  
‘I could always help you.’ She said slowly.  
‘Don’t you have work at the same time as me?’  
‘No, I start at midday and I will be finishing a couple of hours before you.’ Vivi corrected before drinking her tea. Arthur gave in, he didn’t really want to move everything on his own.  
‘Fine. I will let you help, but you will be stuck with nothing to do in till I finish the work that I am given.’   
‘I will bring a book to read.’ Arthur just sighed as Mystery nuzzled against him, Vivi looked at the clock on the wall. ‘Speaking about work, I should get to mine.’ She said as she finished her drink in one gulp, before jumping up and running to the door. ‘Remember to lock the door on your way out.’ She yelled out before slamming the door behind her.   
‘Do you think going on an investigation is a good idea?’ Arthur asked Mystery.  
‘That depends on you, but I do believe that Vivi wouldn’t go into a cave any time soon.’ Mystery said before sitting up. ‘What exactly do you need to move?’   
‘Some materials, my plans and tools.’ Arthur answered finishing up his mug.   
‘And that is meant to take you a while?’ Mystery asked, Arthur sighed again.  
‘It would take a few trips, I am practically clearing out my room and moving everything I have into the workshop.’ Mystery jumped off the couch and waited as Arthur picked up the cup that Vivi left behind, and went to the kitchen to leave them in the sink. Mystery waited by the front door as Arthur opened the door for the two of them to exit the apartment, Arthur pulled out his keys from his pocket and locked Vivi’s door. The two of them made their way down the stairs and out the front door, the van sat exactly where they left it.   
Arthur opened the passenger door for Mystery before he entered through the driver’s door, he drove home and for once opened his garage, and drove in. He exited with Mystery following behind him, Arthur went and opened the back of the van. There was still the sleeping bags and the other things that the van had been packed for that night, both he and Mystery winkled their noses at the mess of garbage that that been sitting there for a month.   
‘I am surprised that Vivi didn’t remember about cleaning out the van.’ Arthur commented as he started to pull out old bottles and containers, there was a bin nearby that he chucked it all into.   
‘I am more surprised by the fact that we didn’t smell all of this after all those previous times that we used the van.’ Mystery said just before he started to drag out a sleeping bag, Arthur jumped into the van and started to throw out everything that was used for travel that night. Once the van’s contents had been cleared and pushed to the side of the garage by Mystery, Arthur entered his house through the door that was there. He spent the next few hours reorganising all the things he had in his workroom and packing them away into boxes, by the end of it he was napping on his couch with Mystery in his arms. Mystery wiggled in his arms as he tried to get up, Arthur only groaned as Mystery moved, but he did remember that he shouldn’t sleep with his left arm on which made his mind wake up a bit. Mystery looked at the time on the wall and intently sat up, his movement frightened Arthur and he sat up as well.   
‘Arthur you have work in five minutes.’ Mystery informed as he jumped off the couch, Arthur was dazed for a moment before Mystery’s information processed in his mind. Arthur stood up and went to the garage once he opened his eyes, Mystery stayed by the door and watched as Arthur headed for the van. Arthur frowned and turned back to Mystery, before opening the door.  
‘Come to work with me.’ Arthur said as he opened the van’s door and waited for Mystery to join him.  
‘But your uncle has never been too happy about me being around before, what makes you think that he will let me now?’ Mystery asked not budging from his spot.  
‘Don’t worry about it, things have changed.’ Arthur said and Mystery nodded before entering the van, Arthur followed soon after and drove as quickly as he could to work.


End file.
